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A2 UP FRONT
Saturday 5 december 2020

Gripped by surging pandemic, U.S. employers cut back on hiring

Continued from Front ployment category that
includes hotels and enter-
And the proportion of tainment industries such as
Americans who are either casinos and movie theat-
working or seeking work fell ers. This group added just
in November, suggesting 31,000 jobs in November.
that many people soured That's only about one-tenth
on their prospects for find- of the gains of the previous
ing a job and stopped two months and suggests
looking. That proportion that the virus spread, new
declined to 61.5%, a level business restrictions and
that before the pandemic colder weather are forcing
hadn't been seen since the many businesses to closer
1970s. In Columbus, Ohio, their doors or limit hours.
Agnes Makokha is unem- U.S. deaths from the coro-
ployed and receiving job- navirus topped 2,800 Thurs-
less benefits for the first time day, a new high, with more
in her life. Makokha, 45, than 100,000 Americans
lost her job as a human re- hospitalized with the dis-
sources administrator near- ease, also a record, and
ly a year ago, well before new daily cases topping
the pandemic struck. Yet 200,000. In response, at
since the virus intensified, least 12 states have im-
it's become much harder This May 7, 2020, file photo shows a man wearing a mask while walking under a Now Hiring sign posed new restrictions
for her to find work. at a CVS Pharmacy during the coronavirus outbreak in San Francisco. Associated Press on businesses in the past
Makokha doesn't have a month, according to an As-
car. And in April, bus serv- slowdown aren't falling shopping season. Transpor- ing firm Manpower Group's sociated Press tally.
ice on her route was tem- evenly on all Americans. tation and warehousing North American division, Jon Tigges, who owns a
porarily canceled. She Low-wage industries, like firms added 145,000 jobs said that roughly 20% of the bed-and-breakfast and
struggled to buy groceries, restaurants and bars and in November, more than online job postings in No- wedding venue near Lees-
much less look for work. retail stores, actually cut half the total job gain for vember that her firm tracks burg, Virginia, has lost
Since then, Makokha has jobs last month. And many the month. That trend re- were related to warehous- about two-thirds of his nor-
been scraping by with the mothers have been forced flected rapid hiring by ship- ing and logistics. Manpow- mal wedding events this
help of food pantries and to stop working to take ping and logistics firms that er's clients were still interest- year, dealing a sharp blow
unemployment benefits. care of children that are in are benefiting from the ed in hiring last month. But to his bottom line. Out of
But those benefits are set to school online. surge in online purchases the worsening virus and the about 35 part-time work-

run out Dec. 26. The unemployment rates by consumers shopping at uncertainty it brings have ers Tigges had employed
"I am a little bit scared now for Black and Latino work- home. That was the biggest made them more cautious. before the pandemic, just
about the help coming to ers fell much more last monthly job gain for that Frankiewicz summarized a handful are likely to work
an end because I'm not month than for whites. Still, industry on records dating their views as: "We are see- on any given weekend.
quite sure what's going to the Black unemployment back to 1972. ing increased demand, we "We're hoping there will be
happen," Makokha said. "If rate was 10.3% and for Lati- Retailers, by contrast, shed know we have to hire but... another relief bill — I need
McDonald's will hire me, I nos 8.4%, compared with 35,000 jobs — a reflection are they going to shut us another loan to bridge the
will take that job. If anyone 5.9% for whites. of fewer consumers shop- down again?" winter months," he said. "It's
will hire me, I would take Friday's jobs report also re- ping in physical stores. The impact of the pan- going to take me 10 years
the job." flects how the coronavirus Becky Frankiewicz, presi- demic last month was par- to dig out of the hole that
The consequences of the has transformed the holiday dent of the temporary staff- ticularly visible in an em- I'm in."q

U.S. imposes visas restrictions on more Chinese citizens

and other means of intimi- as a means of intimidation, taken part in United Front ef-
dation. Secretary of State Pompeo said in announc- forts using violence, threats
Mike Pompeo said the re- ing the new restrictions. or other means of pressure
strictions would apply to The measure is intended to against overseas Chinese
Chinese Communist Party show that "those responsi- communities, academ-
officials or anyone else tak- ble for actions that contra- ics or civil society groups
ing part in such propagan- vene the rules-based inter- in the U.S. or elsewhere to
da or influence campaigns national order are not wel- advance the "CCP's au-
affiliated with the United come in the United States," thoritarian narratives and
Front Work Department. he said. policy preferences," the
The United Front has been The restrictions are the lat- State Department said in a
involved in efforts to put est punitive measure taken separate statement on the
pressure on people out- against China's leadership measure. The move comes
side China's borders who and economy in response the same week that the U.S.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks to the media prior to raise concerns about hu- to sharpening disputes over announced plans to place
meeting with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al- man rights abuses in the human rights, the coronavi- new time limits on visas for
Mohammad Al-Sabah at the State Department, Tuesday, Nov. Uighur region, Tibet and rus pandemic, trade, tech- members of the Chinese
24, 2020 in Washington.
Associated Press elsewhere. Its "coercive nology, Taiwan and a host Communist Party and their
tactics" have included of other issues. families, cutting the time
WASHINGTON (AP) — The to Chinese citizens linked publicly releasing personal Chinese citizens would be that the travel documents
State Department said Fri- to overseas influence op- details about critics and denied a visa to enter the are valid from 10 years to
day that it would deny visas erations involving violence their family members online United States if they have one month. q