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But unspent COVID aid is a small target, with less than $80 billion unspent as of January, White House budget figures show. CARPENTERS, VETERANS AND MEDICAL RESEARCHReclaiming unspent COVID funds would have real-world repercussions. A clawback could also affect veterans' healthcare, as the Department of Veterans Affairs has yet to spend $4.6 billion of the money it received for COVID-19 related care. Republican governors of Nebraska and Arkansas last year rejected a second round of aid for people behind on their rent. Republican Senator Rick Scott in January urged governors and mayors to voluntarily return that money to help pay down federal debt.

☆ Almost 30,000 Amazon employees have signed an internal petition to fight the company's return-to-office mandate. Read the full copy here.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-10 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

New mandate requires most office workers to come into the office at least 3 times a week starting in May. About 3 weeks since the announcement of the new policy, more than 29,200 Amazon employees have signed an internal petition opposing the mandate. Roughly 30,000 Amazon employees have joined that Slack channel, which was created shortly after the RTO announcement. In the petition, Amazon employees added internal data supporting continued remote work and dozens of comments explaining why they oppose the change. A 2013 Stanford University study of Chinese workers found that remote workers are 13% more productive than their in-office counterparts.

☆ If Student Loan Forgiveness Is Overturned by the Supreme Court, Refinancers Are Waiting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-07 | by ( Thomas Gokey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The PSLF program cancels federal student loans for people who work in public-service jobs for 10 years, and the impact of relief is profound. In the process, borrowers forfeit many protections that come with federal student loans, including the chance to get their loans canceled. In one survey, more than one-third of respondents who refinanced their federal student loans said they eventually came to regret it. President Biden announced a plan to cancel $10,000 in student loan debt, but if you privately refinanced, you won't benefit. Most private student loans allow for some kind of "cosigner release" so no one else is on the hook for your loans.

☆ Student-Debt Relief: Why Refinancing Your Student Loans Is a Trap
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Thomas Gokey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +15 min

The PSLF program cancels federal student loans for people who work in public-service jobs for 10 years, and the impact of relief is profound. In the process, borrowers forfeit many protections that come with federal student loans, including the chance to get their loans canceled. Recent changes to the law require private student loans to be discharged if you die, but that isn't the case with older loans. Most private student loans allow for some kind of "cosigner release" so no one else is on the hook for your loans. Refinancing companies make the system worse for everyonePrivate refinancing companies don't just hand out their loans to anyone.

☆ Shionogi sees COVID pill reaping $2 billion in annual sales upon U.S. approval
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-27 | by ( Rocky Swift | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Xocova, a protease inhibitor like the COVID treatments developed by Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and Merck & Co (MRK.N), was granted emergency approval by Japanese regulators in November, making it the nation's first domestically produced oral treatment for COVID. "If you kill the virus fast enough and sharp enough, the lower the probability of long COVID. According to one study by the Veterans Affairs St. Louis Health Care System, Pfizer's antiviral drug Paxlovid cuts the risk of developing many long COVID symptoms. Shionogi is hoping for Xocova sales of around $1 billion to $1.5 billion this year. "I have no regrets," Teshirogi said, adding that expectations among shareholders and the public had demanded that Shionogi devote its resources to fighting COVID.

☆ Former GOP Senator James Inhofe retired because of long COVID symptoms. Other colleagues have it but keep it secret, he said.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-26 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Former Republican Senator James Inhofe said he retired due to long COVID symptoms. During his time in office, the Oklahoma senator repeatedly voted against COVID protections. The CDC estimated that one in five American adults with the disease suffers from long COVID symptoms. He said "five or six" other political colleagues have long COVID, "but I'm the only one who admits it." In March 2020, Inhofe voted against the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which broadly expanded benefits for those affected by the pandemic.

☆ Long Covid disabled them. Then they met a ‘broken’ Social Security disability process
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Morgan Stephens | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

And two Congressional bills addressing the long Covid crisis — The “Covid-19 Long Haulers Act,” which would’ve collected data on long Covid patients with the goal of creating better care and treatment, and “The Care For Long Covid Act” would’ve improved research, centralized data and resources for people with Long Covid — died without making it out of committee. Disabled by long Covid since March 2020, she lives with her spouse and their 7-year-old son in Portland, Ore. “We didn’t design our life to be a single-income household.”Other long Covid patients have rearranged their finances, too. His company’s private long-term disability insurance pays a smaller percentage of the monthly benefit payout when federal disability pays a portion. “They’re not only dealing with long Covid complications, but they’re dealing with financial complications,” she said of her clients.

☆ Long Covid Is a Disability. Here’s How to Ask for Workplace Accommodations.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Laura Casey | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Many people with long Covid are legally entitled to accommodations at work to help them do their jobs. Still, some are finding it hard to ask for help. Disability can encompass any number of physical or mental impairments. Often, managers can more easily comprehend the limitations imposed by static conditions, such as the loss of a limb or hearing. Symptoms can ebb and flow over time with chronic illness, such as long Covid, Crohn’s disease or lupus, making the experience more difficult to grasp, say disabled people and employers.

☆ Infected in the first wave, they navigated long COVID without a roadmap
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-20 | by ( Julie Steenhuysen | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Three years later, at least 65 million people worldwide are estimated to have long COVID, according to an evidence review published last month in Nature Reviews Microbiology. An analysis of thousands of health records by the RECOVER trial found that non-Hispanic white women in wealthier areas were more likely than others to have a long COVID diagnosis. Researchers said that likely reflected disparities in access to healthcare, and suggests that many cases of long COVID among people of color are not being diagnosed. She has since been diagnosed with long COVID and can no longer work. Other infections such as Lyme disease can result in long-term symptoms, many of which overlap with long COVID.

☆ Blackhawks' Toews stepping back to deal with long COVID symptoms
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 19 (Reuters) - Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews announced on Sunday that he is stepping back while he deals with symptoms of long COVID-19 and chronic immune response syndrome. Toews, who has won three Stanley Cup titles with the NHL's Blackhawks and two Olympic gold medals representing Canada, last played on Jan. 28 before taking a break to focus on his health. "It has been really challenging to play through these symptoms," Toews said in a statement. "I am thankful for the patience and support of my teammates, the coaching staff, and the entire Blackhawks organization." Toews was selected third overall by Chicago in the 2006 NHL Draft and was named captain in 2008.

☆ The CDC’s Long-Covid Deception
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Allysia Finley | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Many liberals label themselves “pro-science” as if that’s a political position. Then again, so many putatively scientific studies seem intended to promote progressive policies rather than advance scientific knowledge. Such studies then get amplified by the media and self-appointed experts on social media. Consider a recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that claims to find that nearly 36% of Covid cases among students, faculty and staff at George Washington University resulted in “long Covid.” The study suggests that young, healthy people face a high risk of chronic debilitating symptoms after infection despite being at low risk of getting severely ill with the virus.

☆ The Covid emergency in the U.S. ends May 11. HHS officials say here's what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Liao Pan | China News Service | Getty ImagesThe Health and Human Services Department on Thursday laid out what will change and will remain the same when the three-year-long Covid public health emergency ends in May. HHS officials in call with reporters laid out what the the public can expect when the emergency ends. Immediate changes:People with private health insurance may have to pay for Covid tests, both over-the-counter and lab, depending on their plan. These protections were once tied to the public health emergency, but Congress then decided to phase them out separately. In short, states can start kicking people off Medicaid as early as April if they no longer meet eligibility requirements for the public health insurance program.

☆ Is the Fed ignoring long Covid in its inflation fight?
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But it’s premature to say that Covid is no longer an economic issue when long Covid has such a significant effect on America’s workforce, economists and health care officials say. Long Covid, which stems from a Covid-19 infection, is considered a chronic illness that is sometimes debilitating. As many as 30% of Americans, about 23 million people, develop long Covid after a Covid infection, said the US Department of Health and Human Services in November. “Long Covid has harmed the workforce,” said the report, compiled by the New York State Insurance Fund. Caregiving for those suffering from Covid or long Covid is also affecting the labor imbalance, said Giacomo Santangelo, an economics professor at Fordham University.

☆ What to look for in Friday’s jobs report
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Minneapolis CNN —A week that has been chock-full of economic data will be capped off Friday with the first US jobs report of 2023. Beyond the key headline indicators of payroll gains, unemployment and average hourly earnings, here are some other areas of the jobs report that Pollak and other economists will scrutinize when the January jobs report is released Friday morning. Average weekly hoursIn December, the average working week for employees — including part-time workers — was 34.3 hours, according to BLS data. Labor force participationThe imbalance of labor demand and worker supply has been consistently highlighted by the Fed as a potential sticking point in its efforts to lower inflation. The world has changed pretty dramatically over the last two to three years, and it’s going to be difficult to show people that the skills they possess are needed right now.”The government’s monthly jobs report is scheduled to be released at 8:30 a.m.

☆ In a health system in crisis, Britain's heart care suffers
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +11 min

Britain's cardiology departments are a microcosm of the problems that have spread through the system. In November, around 8,000 people like Cogan had been waiting more than a year for heart treatment, up from a couple of dozen pre-pandemic. Reuters GraphicsTeams were still trying to restore cardiac services to pre-pandemic levels, NHS England said. Pandemic disruptions to diagnosis and treatment, in addition to delays in emergency care, had an outsized impact on cardiological care, she said. On one visit to his local Colchester hospital, staff could not find a working ECG machine to read his heart's electrical activity when he felt a twinge.

☆ 2022 was the ‘real year of the Great Resignation,' says economist
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

More than 50 million workers quit their jobs in 2022, according to federal data, breaking a record set the year prior and demonstrating the resilience of a hot labor market characterized by ample job opportunity. But while quitting a job "was the 2021 story, 2022 was the real year of the Great Resignation," said Julia Pollak, chief economist at ZipRecruiter. The trend of elevated quitting came to be known as the Great Resignation. Americans turned to the social media site TikTok to post "Quit-Toks," and to Reddit forums to share stories about quitting and resignation text messages to bosses. About 50.5 million people quit their jobs in 2022, beating out the 47.8 million in 2021, according to Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey data issued Wednesday.

☆ Long Covid has an ‘underappreciated’ role in labor shortage, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-30 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Long Covid is keeping people out of work and may reduce on-the-job productivity for others, contributing to a labor shortage and weighing on the U.S. economy at large, according to a new study. Long Covid — also known as long-haul Covid, post-Covid or post-acute Covid syndrome — is a chronic illness that results from a Covid-19 infection. Up to 30% of Americans develop long Covid after a Covid infection, affecting as many as 23 million Americans, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services said in November. About 18% of people with long Covid hadn't returned to work for more than a year after contracting Covid, according to a recent study by the New York State Insurance Fund, the state's largest workers' compensation insurer. The labor force participation rate was 62.3% in December, which has shown "little net change" since early 2022 and remains a percentage point below its pre-pandemic level, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics most recent jobs report.

☆ This Social Security change would be ‘easiest and quickest,’ Manchin says. What debt ceiling negotiations may mean for benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

But that should not include cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits, he said. "I've got 60% of my population that that's all they have is Medicare and Social Security," Manchin told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday. How raising payroll tax cap could aid Social SecurityIn 2023, wages up to $160,200 are subject to a 6.2% tax for employees and employers that goes to Social Security. Other Democrats have also proposed raising payroll taxes to help shore up Social Security. More from Personal Finance:What the U.S. debt ceiling could mean for Social Security and MedicareApproaching 62?

☆ 75% of retirees fall short of a key retirement income goal. These steps can help
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But many retirees fall short of that retirement income goal, according to research from Goldman Sachs Asset Management. The gap isn't surprising, considering that more than 40% who are still working say they are behind schedule on their retirement savings. "You have all these competing priorities that can crowd out retirement savings," said Mike Moran, senior pension strategist at Goldman Sachs. What to know about Social Security's 8.7% cost-of living adjustmentWhy applying for Social Security benefits with long Covid is tricky1. Delay claiming Social Security benefitsThe longer you wait to claim Social Security retirement benefits up to age 70, the bigger your monthly checks will be.

☆ Higher Social Security cost-of-living adjustments may affect your taxes. Here's how to plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Social Security recipients are just starting to see the record 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment in their monthly checks. Last year's 5.9% cost-of-living adjustment was like getting a 6% wage bump in 2022, according to Mary Johnson, Social Security and Medicare policy analyst at The Senior Citizens League. A recent survey by The Senior Citizens League found 57% of older taxpayers worry more of their Social Security benefits will be taxed due to last year's 5.9% cost-of-living adjustment. More from Personal Finance:What the U.S. debt ceiling could mean for Social Security and MedicareApproaching 62? However, beneficiaries would be wise to get a jump on their tax planning for next year to mitigate the effects of the 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment.

[1/2] FILE PHOTO-Planes of German air carrier Lufthansa are parked as Lufthansa pilots start a strike over a wage dispute, at the airport in Frankfurt, Germany, September 2, 2022. REUTERS/Kai PfaffenbachROME/FRANKFURT, Jan 18 (Reuters) - German carrier Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Wednesday it had offered to buy an minority stake in ITA Airways, betting on reviving the loss-making successor to Italy's Alitalia and expanding its footprint in Europe. One of the sources said it was valued at 200-300 million euros ($540 million). The new right-wing administration in Rome passed a decree in December to initially sell a minority stake through capital increases, in order to speed up a full divestment in ITA. "Acquiring ITA is one of the most challenging propositions in European aviation: the airline has been persistently loss-making," said Bernstein analyst Alex Irving.

A key adviser to the Food and Drug Administration's vaccine panel is questioning whether more Covid booster shots are necessary for healthy, younger people. The FDA later backed the vaccine panel, authorizing a new formulation of the booster shots. “The people who are talking about why young people need it are missing the point,” he said, referring to the booster. Levy, the director of the Precision Vaccines Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, continues to encourage Covid boosters for everyone who is eligible. Relatively few people in the U.S. have had updated boosters.

☆ China’s local governments set 2023 growth targets, offering clues on economic recovery
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The meetings will culminate in the national parliamentary session to be held in March, in which the premier is expected to disclose the nation’s GDP growth target. So far, a group of government economists and international analysts have said they expect Beijing to set a growth target of above 5% in 2023. On Thursday, Zhejiang province, another major economic powerhouse, announced it’s targeting an expansion of more than 5% in 2023. On Wednesday, Shanghai, the most affluent city in mainland China, announced it would aim for 5.5% growth this year. On the same day, Fujian, Sichuan and Hebei provinces all disclosed growth targets of 6% for 2023.

Shortness of breath, loss of taste and smell, and other lingering Covid symptoms tend to ease over time and may be gone within a year, according to new research. The study did not include patients who developed long Covid from omicron or its subvariants, but doctors in the U.S. say they do see new patients with long Covid symptoms following an omicron infection. Most common long Covid symptomsThree years into the pandemic, it remains unclear exactly how many people have long Covid. The findings are consistent with what long Covid experts in the U.S. have found. While the study found that many long Covid symptoms abate within a year, it remains clear that some patients continue to suffer long afterward.

☆ Successfully applying for Social Security disability is difficult. Applying as a long Covid patient is even trickier
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Social Security disability benefits are generally available to workers who have earned enough credits through payroll taxes — typically 40 credits, though younger workers may qualify with less. Supplemental Security Income, or SSI, is a federal benefit available to disabled individuals who may not qualify for Social Security disability based on their work records. Allsup, which works with NASA, helped Perry get his Social Security disability benefits application approved. "That can really make or break a Social Security disability case," he said. Social Security disability benefits are aimed at long-term conditions.

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