News of the Month — April 2021
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No one has endured the past year unscathed, but America’s health-care workers have witnessed the worst of it while trying to keep the rest of us healthy and safe. They’ve fought for PPE, and with patients and visitors who refuse to wear masks. They’ve watched their patients give birth alone, suffer alone, die alone. Hundreds of thousands got sick themselves, and many more lived with the daily worry of bringing the virus home to their loved ones. Many began to wonder if it’s worth it.
The California State University and University of California systems have announced that all 33 campuses will require students and staff returning for in-person instruction this fall to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Just a few months ago, California was the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S. Now, as cases spike in other parts of the country, California has gone from worst to first with the lowest infection rate in the U.S., even as it has moved quickly to reopen more businesses with greater customer counts and allow larger gatherings.
Los Angeles may soon become the largest city in the U.S. to introduce a universal basic income (UBI) program. The $24M program, introduced as part of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s budget proposal, released on Tuesday, would provide $1,000 a month to 2,000 families for a year if passed by the city council.
Some California employers when rehiring will have to offer jobs first to the former workers they laid off during the coronavirus pandemic under a law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday. Those employers include hotels, large event centers and airports, as well as janitorial, security and maintenance workers at commercial buildings.