Week of June 15th, 2020

… is here.

Some corporations made the move just days ago.

Plus: How companies decide which holidays, like Juneteenth, to take off and Tulsa’s eviction problem.

A new effort taps behavioral science to keep more renters in their homes.

Weekly jobless claims have leveled off at well above 1 million, as new layoffs offset people called back to work.

The government support provided at the beginning of the pandemic was meant to be temporary, but companies are still suffering.

Elevators have always been awkward. Now they’re a social distancing nightmare.

Liability waivers may not be enforceable in all states, but many businesses are looking for some kind of protection from lawsuits.

Given the intense focus on racial injustice, corporations are doing more to mark Juneteenth this year. Plus, how much money did households save by cooking their own meals during lockdowns? And, 40 years of CNN.

President Trump renewed threats to cut economic ties with China, yet there’s reportedly a new deal for China to buy more U.S. farm goods.

For Carlos Rodriguez Cortez, the ruling is a relief for now, but “it being repealed later on is still a very viable thing that can happen.”

Juneteenth dates back to 1865, and it is a celebration specifically of the end of slavery in Texas, which was one of the last holdouts.

DACA recipients still have to renew their work authorization every two years.

CNN’s 40th birthday is an occasion to look back on how the network transformed news consumption.

Conflicting signs today on whether or not the U.S. and China are reconciling trade differences. Also, a breakdown in Canada-China relations. And, a DACA recipient on what Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling means for him.

It’s been dubbed “Next Generation Europe,” but can the EU find unity on a COVID-19 recovery fund? Australia says it’s been the victim of cyberattacks by a state actor. Why remittances are so vital for millions of families.

Only a handful of state governments have developed apps that could be used to help notify users if they’ve been near someone with COVID-19.

Also: Kai sings.

Plus: The financial health of HBCUs and Howard University professor William Spriggs on his open letter to economists about racism in their field.

The co-founder of Netflix and his wife hope their donations will help “reverse generations of inequality.”

But the Supreme Court’s decision today was narrow. The Trump administration or Congress could renew efforts to end the program.

The SBA and the Treasury Department released a streamlined forgiveness application for PPP loans this week.

In an “open letter to economists,” Howard University professor and Chief Economist for the AFL-CIO William Spriggs asked his fellow economists to consider how the profession views race.

Years ago, one woman put college on hold because she couldn’t afford it. Now she faces a hard choice to keep history from repeating itself. Plus: What will college even look like this fall?

The move escalates a trade dispute over how much tech companies can be taxed outside their home countries.

Activists are concerned that a new rule could weaken banks’ partnerships with their communities.

The new NBA postseason format is full of financial losers, the players more than most.

For now, those immigrants retain their protection from deportation and their authorization to work in the United States.

The Fed is trying to be as nurturing as it can to the economy, as 1.5 million more people have applied for unemployment benefits. And, the last installment of “A History of Now” from Marketplace’s documentary podcast “The Uncertain Hour.”

Consumer confidence, while increasing overall, is stagnating in regions where there have been recent spikes in the disease.

About 1.5 million laid-off workers applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week.

The President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Robert Kaplan, on how stamping out racism would contribute to everyone’s success. Plus, the economic fallout of a surge in COVID-19 cases in parts of Arizona, Florida, Texas, California and more.

“The better all of us do, the better the economy does,” Robert Kaplan said.

Two of Britain’s biggest companies apologize for their ties to the slave trade and make charitable donations. An English soccer star heads up a successful campaign to ensure the nation’s most vulnerable children don’t go hungry during the coronavirus crisis.

It may be easier for some to have tough conversations from the comfort of their own home, but it can be isolating for others.

CBS’s “The Bold and the Beautiful” is restarting filming with on-set health guidelines in place.

This might be our toughest listener question yet.

We look into how the government borrows money and what it means in the long run.

Big tech firms are moving away from coding language that carries racial connotations.

The Trump administration is denouncing the fact that the tax levels vary greatly between members of the global trade body.

The retail giant is boosting its minimum wage $2 per hour, accelerating planned increases. The move may reflect current crises in America as well as expectations of a strong economy.

Plus: Racism in tech, unemployment in the U.K. and the difference between the debt and the deficit.

Author Matt Alt describes how Japan’s pop culture, and its superfans, shaped sensibilities the world over.

Hatcheries across the country saw a surge in orders when the lockdown began. The chickens came first, then the eggs.

Laid-off workers try to come to terms with a grueling new reality in what was once Europe’s most vibrant labor market.

The board of regents at Texas A&M University voted to create a $100 million scholarship fund to address diversity issues on its campuses.

We’re capping off our season by answering your questions about chicken workers, health insurance and more.

A snapshot of who’s hiring now, plus a warning about employment predictions in an unknown COVID-19 recovery.

Up until now, Quaker hasn’t been interested in changing the logo or even acknowledging the history of the brand.

Facebook says it’s going to let people turn off all political ads. This, as several civil rights groups are calling for major advertisers to boycott the platform. Signs of life in the housing market. And, can work-sharing programs prevent layoffs?

By some measures, the economy is headed up. But that’s coming from a deep trough, and the Fed chair is warning that there are risks ahead.

The move comes as civil rights groups call for major advertisers to boycott Facebook, and the Trump administration reportedly proposes legislation on social media platforms.

Camden disbanded its city force and the county took over policing, with an emphasis on building community relations.

Not all states have the programs, in which workers’ hours are cut and unemployment benefits are used to fill in wages.

In 2013, the city of Camden, New Jersey, disbanded and replaced its police force. What lessons can we learn? Plus, Fed Chair Jerome Powell is talking “pandemic economy” to Congress again today. He said there are some signs of stabilization.

Will trade and business links between China and India deteriorate after a deadly border clash? And, as the world’s most popular soccer league starts up again, is the women’s game being left behind?

Robots can do a lot of things, but they’re still not great at picking up oddly shaped objects.

Are they a coalition? Yes. Is it comfortable? We’ll talk about it.

Plus: Chinese unemployment and why the Fed started buying corporate bonds.

Grand Prairie Foods lost 80% of its hospitality and travel-related business in one day. To survive, it’s focusing on packaged foods.

The Federal Reserve is buying a broad cross-section of bonds to make sure firms have the money they need to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.

March and April’s weak numbers were easy to beat. Upcoming changes, such as the end of unemployment bonus payments, may stall the upward trend.

The communist government is not handing out cash to struggling workers. Many have to depend on themselves.

Rita Magalde, owner of a Utah bakery specializing in baklava, says the increase in business feels like a miracle.

Social media activism is translating into increased sales for many restaurants and businesses. But will it last?

Coronavirus cases are rising in many parts of the country, at the same time movement restrictions are lifted.

Retail sales jumped by nearly 18% in May, more than double the forecasts. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell starts two days of congressional testimony today. And, in our Reimagining the Economy project, the case for a job guarantee.

Overall, retail sales are down by 6% compared to May 2019.

U.K. researchers say the cheap, widely available steroid dexamethasone reduced deaths by up to one-third in severely ill hospitalized patients.

It is still not against the law to discriminate because of sex in places open to the public like stores or restaurants.

Religious schools are likely to be exempt from anti-discrimination protections under the new ruling.

A possible cure for the economic crisis caused by the pandemic? The job guarantee. Pavlina Tcherneva of Bard College explains the job-creation idea.

He’s expected to elaborate on his pessimistic forecast that millions of people who have lost their jobs during the pandemic may not get them back.

The Supreme Court rules Title VII protects LGBTQ people from discrimination in hiring and on the job. Plus, Chesapeake Energy, a pioneer of the shale oil and gas revolution, is reportedly readying its bankruptcy filing.

Crew changeover delays at major shipping hubs have led some seafarers to threaten to put down their tools. China faces fresh economic pressure from a new COVID-19 outbreak. A slump in oil demand is expected through 2021. 

“Mesh networks” could be a simple way to communicate without cellphone service.

But first, you have to acknowledge that systemic racism even exists. Today, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow doubled down on denying it.

It had been legal to fire someone for being gay or transgender, deepening economic disparities.

Raphael Bostic discusses the challenges of the economy and racial inequality.

Plus, today’s big Supreme Court ruling, online internships and the transparency (or lack thereof) around who gets half a trillion in PPP money.

Millennials who now work at home are spending $208 more each month on average, a survey shows. Groceries accounted for the biggest cost increase across generations.

Smaller menus save restaurants money and let them focus on what customers really want.

The Trump administration says the relevant part is that the COVID-19 relief loans complied with the law — not who actually got them.

If internships can be done from anywhere, the pipeline for future talent may be getting more inclusive.

Nonessential businesses across England are opening their doors to shoppers for the first time since March.

The pandemic has closed casinos, a major economic engine for Native American tribes. Money out of the stock market following news of a COVID-19 outbreak in Beijing and infection increases in U.S. states. Bankrupt Hertz is flooding the used-car market.

The outcome is expected to have a big impact for the estimated 8.1 million LGBTQ workers across the country.

The director of the National Economic Council called the benefits a “disincentive” for people to get back to work.

The White House is worried that the extra $600 a week in unemployment benefits makes not working too attractive. The new head of the U.S. Postal Service. And, how COVID-19 is reshaping the response to domestic violence.

Tribal leaders say COVID-19 closures have had a devastating economic effect.

As non-essential stores in England open for the first time in three months, the boss of bookseller Barnes & Noble and Waterstones explains how quarantining books works. Investors worry about a potential second wave of COVID-19 infections.

As people stay home, those in abusive relationships can be stuck with their abusers with little possibility of leaving.

How does the traditional role of the postal service square with modern delivery demands?