Companies navigate legalities of returning to work - July 15, 2021

Initial claims for unemployment in the U.S. totaled 360,000 last week – a new pandemic-era low and in line with Dow Jones estimates. Still, stock futures ticked lower Thursday and government bond yields edged down. Overall, signs of recovery and stronger-than-expected corporate earnings have boosted the market, but investors remain wary that an uptick in COVID-19 infections could threaten progress. Morgan Stanley earnings beat estimates as stock trading and investment banking top expectations - CNBC Poll: 1.8 million Americans have turned down jobs due to unemployment benefits - Axios US is 'losing time' in vaccination race as Delta variant becomes more pervasive, expert says - CNN Companies are struggling to navigate the balance of return to work guidance along with liability and legal concerns. Experts suggest exploring the purpose of returning to the office, formulating a communication plan so messages are clear and giving proper notice. Businesses warn of confusion and chaos over Covid workplace guidance - Financial Times Planning An Office Return? 13 Questions To Ask Employees - Forbes The future of work has arrived, and it’s messy. - Politico The pay gap between CEOs and the typical U.S. worker widened during the pandemic. S&P 500 chief executives made 299 times what rank-and-file employees earned, up from a ratio of 264-to-1 in 2019. Companies in the consumer discretionary industry, including retailers like Amazon, had the highest disparity. CEOs took pay cuts in 2020. But they wound up earning more - Los Angeles Times BlackRock Is Raising Base Salaries by 8%, Starting in September - Barron’s Rents Are Out Of Reach For Most Americans Earning Minimum Wage, A Study Says - NPR @EconomicPolicy: “CEO pay jumped nearly 16% in 2020 while average worker compensation rose 1.8%, according to our preliminary analysis.” Unions and advocacy groups are asking the Securities and Exchange Commission to take a harder line with private-equity firms, arguing the regulator has been ineffective at c