If there’s one thing President Joe Biden can do in his first 100 days to help the nation’s economy it’s this: get the COVID-19 pandemic under control. That’s the consensus of three panelists who participated in the “Business Impact: First 100 Days” webinar hosted by Central Penn Business Journal and Lehigh Valley Business.

Following a gap in benefits after the federal government delayed approval of December’s COVID relief and government funding bill, the state Department of Labor & Industry announced it can now resume payments for its temporary federal unemployment programs.

In the midst of national and statewide economic uncertainty, heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, business and community leaders across Pennsylvania continue to express a common, shared concern – a shortage of quality local talent to fill in-demand positions. 

Pennsylvania’s unemployment rate dipped to 6.7% in December, down 0.1 percentage points from November, and matching the national rate.

The PPL Foundation has launched an effort to boost diversity, equity and inclusion in the energy industry with more than $1 million in scholarships as part of the Powering a Brighter Future program.

The January 6 events at the nation’s Capitol Building could have a lasting impact on how much attention employers pay to employee behavior outside of work.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court spoke to the issue of the required consideration for restrictive covenants in employment contracting in Rullex Co., LLC v. Tel-Stream, Inc. The Court was tasked with determining whether a non-compete agreement that was signed by the parties after employment began was enforceable.

Traditional and smart city ecosystems - the relationships between people, places and things include public and private sectors and how they interact, infrastructure such as roads, bridges and parking; utilities and emerging technology, which is driving robust change.

Lehigh Valley Business recently sat down with John Longstreet, president of the PRLA, to talk about how its members are coping with the pandemic and what the organization is doing to help. 

LVB recently sat down with a few young Lehigh Valley-area business owners who haven’t let their youth stand in the way of their dreams. Ranging in age from 12 to 25, these entrepreneurs opened up about ageism, hard work and the advantages of being your own boss.