Economic pain train's a coming (Boston, Burlington: lawyers, colleges, live in)

[Bridge781]

I saw a person at the wayfair Boston office say they were going to be raking temps of employees as they come in. Unless they’re making the furniture there I’m not sure why the need for that especially since they just laid off hundreds of people. Seems like something weird is up with that company in general

[sawyer2]

Be careful what you wish for with respect to WFH.

We are already having discussions about other potential financial upsides. For example, why pay east coast comp. for full-time WFH if we can use employees from less expensive geographic locations with similar skill sets.

Different story of course if you are highly skilled and/or have a unique offering ..... but that has always been the case with comp.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by Bridge781

I saw a person at the wayfair Boston office say they were going to be raking temps of employees as they come in. Unless they’re making the furniture there I’m not sure why the need for that especially since they just laid off hundreds of people. Seems like something weird is up with that company in general

Temperature taking is pointless for COVID. If one has a measurable fever, likely are too ill to be out and about. Asymptomatic transmission and infection. I agree that something seems up with Wayfair as they slide out of business.

[brightdoglover]

Originally Posted by BostonMike7

Not every job is able to be performed remotely...even essential jobs.

...

I'm so exasperated with the many people who think everyone works in an office behind a screen. Don't they know any workers?

I told a wealthy-through-marriage friend in Honolulu that my tenant in my rental house is a custodian in the lockerrooms, etc. of a coal mine, where six workers are sick and positive and the mine can only test those with symptoms, I assume for lack of testing capacity. My friend marveled, she said that was so outside her experience in life and work (retired guidance counselor, husband a software business owner).

I fear that this pandemic is going to increase lack of interest/concern/consideration of all poor people, low-income workers, immigrants, people of color, all as "others" to the people happily working from home behind a screen.

[BosYuppie]

Originally Posted by sawyer2

Be careful what you wish for with respect to WFH.

We are already having discussions about other potential financial upsides. For example, why pay east coast comp. for full-time WFH if we can use employees from less expensive geographic locations with similar skill sets.

Different story of course if you are highly skilled and/or have a unique offering ..... but that has always been the case with comp.

"Onshoring" has been a thing for a little bit. For example, Adobe has a pretty big presence in Utah. I think it's only going to continue.

My line of work is pretty remote-friendly, I would love to exploit COL differences and move to a smaller city with better weather and friendlier people to live like a king, but unfortunately my wife isn't all that keen on the idea.

[chicagoliz]

Originally Posted by brightdoglover

I'm so exasperated with the many people who think everyone works in an office behind a screen. Don't they know any workers?

I told a wealthy-through-marriage friend in Honolulu that my tenant in my rental house is a custodian in the lockerrooms, etc. of a coal mine, where six workers are sick and positive and the mine can only test those with symptoms, I assume for lack of testing capacity. My friend marveled, she said that was so outside her experience in life and work (retired guidance counselor, husband a software business owner).

I fear that this pandemic is going to increase lack of interest/concern/consideration of all poor people, low-income workers, immigrants, people of color, all as "others" to the people happily working from home behind a screen.

My hope is that it increases the interest in them and that the sheer number of people this affects and the resulting problems that causes for everyone will wake people up and see that many progressive policies are good for everyone, not just the poor. One example is health insurance. It is so asinine that we have health insurance tied to employment. Small business owners complain about the high cost of providing insurance to their employees. Well, if the government handled that, that cost would go away and small businesses would be on a more even playing field in competing for good employees, who might otherwise go to a larger business that had better insurance benefits.

[porterhouse]

Originally Posted by chicagoliz

Small business owners complain about the high cost of providing insurance to their employees. Well, if the government handled that, that cost would go away and small businesses would be on a more even playing field in competing for good employees, who might otherwise go to a larger business that had better insurance benefits.

This was not the case prior to the Affordable Care Act. As a small business owner who provided their employees health insurance before and after, I can say that things weren't perfect beforehand but they are much much worse now. Many of us (small business owners) supported ACA, however what was delivered was not what was promised, and the results have been disastrous. And no, socialized health care is certainly not the answer.

[Bridge781]

I’m exasperated with people who think all work needs to be a train ride or car ride into the office where you are there all day 5 days a week.

The head of our dept told us today that he doesn’t know when we will be back to the office and it could be a while. They don’t see the point in having people wear masks at work or taking temps.

I’m well aware that some people need to be somewhere physically.

[Bridge781]

My dept has made a point to thank the custodial people as well. They’re not forgotten.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by porterhouse

This was not the case prior to the Affordable Care Act. As a small business owner who provided their employees health insurance before and after, I can say that things weren't perfect beforehand but they are much much worse now. Many of us (small business owners) supported ACA, however what was delivered was not what was promised, and the results have been disastrous. And no, socialized health care is certainly not the answer.

The goal should be to lower healthcare costs, not to simply provide more insurance to cover escalating healthcare costs. Letting costs escalate is unsustainable. If it were up to me I would start with tort reform as it relates to malpractice.