Economy

The president of Saint Vincent Hospital medical staff, Dr. Bogdan Nedelescu, signed an open letter Wednesday on behalf of the hospital staff urging striking nurses to come back to work as the number of COVID-19 patients surges.

Vertically integrated lithium ion battery recycling and manufacturing company Battery Resourcers, based in Worcester, announced on Tuesday it has raised $70 million at the closing of its latest mid-round funding.

State unemployment first hit 5% in May before holding at 4.9% during the last two months.

A quarter of Worcester County residents age 12 and up still haven’t gotten a first shot of COVID-19 vaccine. And, since the virus spreads much more easily among those who are unvaccinated, that group is helping to fuel the resurgence of cases coming with the Delta variant of the disease.

With the exception of certain municipalities taking the matter into their own hands, the lack of government direction on masks has left individual business owners and management to decide for themselves whether or not to require face coverings.

Burnout is nothing new in the healthcare field, but a mental health crisis among healthcare workers may be leading to startling staffing shortages as a third wave of the coronavirus pandemic threatens to overburden hospitals again.

Massachusetts saw a 1.3% increase in employment from June to July, marking a year-over-year job growth of 7.8% since July 2020, according to a Friday report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

BJ’s Wholesale Club, based in Westborough, announced on Thursday it would distribute a cumulative $8 million in bonuses to its hourly club and distribution center staff members.

The Worcester healthcare provider on Sunday announced it would permanently fill the remaining open positions vacated by the 800 union nurses.

In the wake of the coronavirus lockdowns and the changing news of the Delta variant, businesses are facing unprecedented obstacles as they try to bring their employees back to the office and retain a sense of normalcy. Work from home, remote, and hybrid options are just a few of the new models quickly revolutionizing workforces.