The Arkansas state Senate passed a bill protecting an employee’s right to privacy regarding their vaccination status Thursday, and both the House and Senate sent identical bills to Gov. Asa Hutchinson to exempt employees from federal or employer vaccine mandates. Although Hutchinson has said he does not support a federal vaccination mandate, he expressed concern over placing a state mandate on employers and “defining the employer-employee relationship.”

Employer Asks Workers Seeking Religious Exemption from Vaccine Mandate to Swear Off Tylenol and Tums - JD Supra

Fired for refusing a Covid vaccine? You likely can't get unemployment benefits - CNBC

@JournoChrisATL: Arkansas legislation would let employees opt out of workplace Covid vaccine mandates by testing negative weekly or showing immunity through antibody tests twice annually. Similar bills are pending in Ohio and Texas

President Joe Biden encouraged more U.S. businesses to obligate workers to get COVID-19 vaccinations Thursday, saying it is vital to ending the pandemic and boosting the economy. The White House also released a report showing that vaccine mandates increased employee vaccination by more than 20 percentage points as more than 25% of businesses and 40% of hospitals have put vaccine requirements in place. Nearly 80% of eligible adults have received at least their first dose.

As Covid fears in C-suite stay high, most big companies ‘totally support’ Biden vaccine mandate: CNBC survey - CNBC

Mandating vaccines? How tracking tech can help with the next step - HR Executive

With COVID-19 mandates rolling out, what to know about religious exemptions - ABC News

@kylegriffin1: President Biden: "Here's the deal: These requirements are already proven that they work … The Department of Defense has gone from 67% of active duty force vaccinated to 97% ... Just six weeks into this vaccination requirement. That's how quickly it's moved."

U.S. employment increased less than anticipated in September as government payrolls declined, but hiring could pick up in the coming months as a wave of summer infections subside. Non-farm payrolls increased by 194,000 as the unemployment rate fell to 4.8%. Federal Reserve officials continued a balancing act between fostering a return to full employment while managing inflation.

Inflation has already cleared hurdle for rate hike, but employment criteria not met yet: Fed’s Mester - MarketWatch

Survey: Increasing Number of Top Economists Now Expecting Fed Rate Hike Over Coming Year - Bankrate

Jim Cramer says the key to taming inflation is beating Covid, not higher interest rates - CNBC

Demand for new office space reached a 15-month high in August, hitting just 13% below pre-pandemic levels. Shared office space company WeWork reached $228 million in revenue in September and reached 60% occupancy, signaling an increased demand as more employers bring workers back to shared spaces.

Portland Office Space Declines as Business Resumes - Willamette Week

Reports: Boston, Texas and Florida at forefront of office space recovery - Connected Real Estate Magazine

Toronto, Valparaiso, Berlin, Honolulu top list of best places for remote work - ZDNet

Halloween stores are urging customers to buy costumes now as a nationwide truck shortage and fewer lockdowns put pressure on costume supply. Extreme weather impacted pumpkin growth nationwide amid pandemic-related shipping delays, creating another shortage for the fall season. Costco and other retailers will likely see constraints on Christmas trees this winter following droughts and global supply chain issues impacting the entire industry.

Supply chain havoc is getting worse — just in time for holiday shopping - Vox

Oh my gourd! Pumpkin shortage could impact Halloween - WCNC

Toymakers race to get products on shelves amid supply clogs - Sentinel-Tribune

@gutavsaraiva:On today's episode of "the supply-chain chaos that might ruin Christmas," @gerryfsmith and I write about how booksellers