As we wait for what comes next, Tami Abdollah and Rachel Uranga look at the sobering unemployment numbers released for California. Even businesses that are seeing a spike in demand are having difficulty keeping up with closing factories and limited bandwidth. Ben Bergman talks to the Milken Institute about its efforts to track the vaccines and other treatments underway.
We're doing what we can to keep you informed and in good health during this difficult time. Join us Tuesday for a free webinar on coping while under quarantine. And let us know if you have ideas for future strategy seminars at admin@dot.la.
Be careful and be well this weekend, Los Angeles.
Also: As many of you pointed out, our list of Los Angeles businesses looking to hire featured the wrong link. If you're looking for a job, you can find that list here.
Unemployment Surges in California
"It's going to be bad."
Even before 40 million Californians were ordered to stay at home, the state was seeing a surge in unemployment claims. As of Thursday, California's unemployment office reported "a huge spike in the number of claims coming in." The data doesn't take into account workers who have had their hours reduced but don't qualify for unemployment insurance. Read more >>
Milken Institute's Vaccine Tracker
The Santa Monica-based Milken Institute has a running list of treatments and vaccines in development. "We felt like it would be a public service for interested stakeholders to pull it all together," a representative told us. See the list and read more >>
Exploding Kittens' Quest to Outrun Coronavirus
"Every time you solve one problem, there's another three for you."
Los Angeles-based Exploding Kittens has seen interest in its quirky card game grow exponentially as more people stay home. At the same time, factories that produce their products began shutting down. The story of the company's efforts to get a handle on these challenges is as strange as the names of its card games. Read more >>
Conferencing Services Scramble to Expand
Services such as FreeConferenceCall are trying to increase capacity as demand spikes. The Long Beach teleconference giant has seen 3,000% growth in some Asian countries hit by the novel coronavirus. Now, it's racing to create a new product. Read more >>
Staying Well During Quarantine
As many prepare to work from home and stay away from others in the long term, promoting mental health will be key. Join dot.LA for a free webinar about how to foster wellness and peace of mind during quarantine. Join us online Tuesday, March 24th @ 11:00AM PST.