News

Coronavirus Government Response Update—Surge in Cases in California Causes Closures

Welcome to the Coronavirus Government Response Update. This information is intended to keep ISSA members up to date on fast-moving government affairs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other public policy issues important to the cleaning industry. Today’s update touches on California’s statewide closure of indoor businesses, L.A. Unified’s decision to hold online classes for the start of the school year, Illinois’ law presuming COVID-19 is workplace injury for essential workers, and more.

California to Close Indoor Restaurants, Movie Theaters, Bars as Coronavirus Cases Surge
California Governor Gavin Newsom ordered all bars, dine-in restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and other indoor businesses statewide to close as COVID-19 cases continue to climb. The businesses will be allowed to operate outdoors, if possible, except for bars, he said. The new order, which will apply across the state, is effective immediately, and marks one of the largest rollbacks any state has issued since reopening their economies. 

L.A. Unified to Hold Online Classes Start of School Year
Los Angeles schools, which return August 18, will hold online classes until future notice due to the worsening coronavirus outbreak, Superintendent Austin Beutner announced Monday. “We all know the best place for students to learn is in a school setting,” he said. “But we’re going in the wrong direction. And as much as we want to be back at schools and have students back at schools—can’t do it until it’s safe and appropriate.”

Illinois Law Presumes COVID-19 is Workplace Injury for Essential Workers
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed House Bill 2455 into law, amending the Illinois Workers’ Occupational Diseases Act to create a rebuttable presumption that the exposure to and contraction of COVID-19 by a “COVID-19 first responder or front-line worker” arises out of and in the course of the employee’s employment, and is causally connected to the hazards or exposures of the employee’s employment. Employees who do not fall within the definition of “COVID-19 first responder or front-line worker” do not get the benefit of the rebuttable presumption, and the normal workers’ compensation claims process would be followed.

U.S. Consumer Prices Bounce Back in June After Three Straight Monthly Decline
On Tuesday, the U.S. Labor Department said its consumer price index increased 0.6% last month, making it the biggest gain since August 2012. The increase, which ended three straight months of declines, was 0.1% higher than what economists predicted, and was driven by rises in the prices of gasoline and food. However, the underlying trend suggests inflation will remain subdued and allow the Federal Reserve to keep providing monetary stimulus to the economy, according to CNBC.

U.S. Budget Deficit Hits All Time High of US$864 Billion in June
The U.S. Treasury Department reported that the federal government incurred a US$864 billion deficit in June, the highest monthly budget deficit in history as spending on programs to combat the coronavirus recession proliferated while millions of job losses pinched tax revenues. According to CNBC, the country is “well on the way” to reaching the $3.7 trillion deficit for the year that has been forecast by the Congressional Budget Office.

Other links of interest:

• Use ‘Find Politicians’ Tool in ISSA’s Action Center to Contact Your Elected Officials
• June 24, 2020 ISSA Advocacy Webinar Recording Now Available
• ISSA Coronavirus Government Response FAQ
• Small Businesses Urge Support for COVID-19 Liability Protections
• Reopening the Economy Under COVID-19: Tracking Containment