Human Resources Blog

Please keep those affected by Hurricane Delta over the weekend in your thoughts and prayers. It’s unfortunate that so many people who are already financially struggling due to COVID-19 will have to endure another month and a half of this turbulent hurricane season.

Last week, Governor John Bel Edwards announced that Louisiana will stay in Phase 3, keeping its strong COVID-19 mitigation measures, including a continued statewide mask mandate, at least until November 6. The only major change in the order since September is that alcohol could be sold at sporting events in parishes that qualified and had opted into re-opening bars for on-site alcohol consumption.

Congress is still at a stalemate in the latest stimulus negotiations. In regard to a stand-alone bill for the airline industry, we can only hope that other sectors of the hospitality industry will also be considered if this comes to fruition. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin are expected to talk more this week as they attempt to bridge the gap between the Democrat’s $2.2 trillion proposal and the administration’s $1.8 trillion rejected counteroffer on Friday. Even if an agreement is reached before November 3^rd, it is unlikely that anything will be pushed through until after the election. It’s sad that politics are standing in the way of the good of the people and helping the country continue to survive the Pandemic.

SHRM published two interesting articles that we want to share. First, workers’ satisfaction with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) at current or former companies is the newest workplace rating on employer review site, Glassdoor. Based on a 5-point scale, the rating will appear alongside ratings on compensation and benefits, career opportunities, culture and values, the effectiveness of senior management, and work/life balance. Please be aware of this new rating system for your company and let us know if you have any questions on how we can help achieve your DE&I goals.

Next, in accordance with #WorldMentalHealthDay last Saturday, research shows that employees working from home often receive less performance feedback and appreciation for their good work than those in the office receive, which can take a toll not only on engagement and productivity, but also on employee mental health. The “out of sight, out of mind,” phenomenon can be a major detriment for getting these workers the assurance they need while so many members of the community are facing layoffs.

Lastly, we are enclosing this informative guide from our risk & safety team listing the differences in symptoms for the flu, common cold, and COVID-19.