Reopening After Coronavirus: Who Goes Back To Work First?
BOSTON (CBS) - As the country slowly starts to reopen the economy, the question arises: who goes back to work first? Some have suggested that the younger workforce should turn the lights back on and that the older workers, who may be more vulnerable to the Covid-19, should work from home.
"I think the generational assessment of who comes back and when has to be with a mind's eye towards the disproportionate impact," said Steve Pemberton, of Workhuman, an HR company.
Pemberton doesn't believe that isolating senior employees, or bringing them back last is good for the economy, even if working from home is proving effective. "I think what you're going to see is a hybrid model and you're going to see that immediately," Pemberton said.
Norwood Police Chief Bill Brooks is about to turn 65 this summer, mandatory retirement age for cops in Massachusetts. But the town just gave him a new contract.
Chief Brooks says retirement, or working from home would not suit him, or be effective. "A lot of my job I probably could do from home, but my officers have to be here," Brooks said. "My officers have to be on the street and the boss shouldn't be at home when the cops are on the street."