The Justice Department today reached an agreement with The Agency Staffing located in West Dundee, Ill., resolving claims that the staffing company violated the anti-discrimination provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

It is Justice Department policy that no FCPA prosecution can be brought without authorization from the Criminal Division, which distinguishes FCPA prosecutions from most other kinds of federal criminal cases.

A patient recruiter and a therapy staffing company owner pleaded guilty today in connection with a $7 million health care fraud scheme involving the now defunct home health care company Anna Nursing Services Corp.

The Justice Department announced today that it reached an agreement with Kelly Services Inc., a staffing company based in Troy, Mich., resolving an allegation of discrimination based on citizenship status during the employment eligibility re-verification process at one of its branch locations in Schaumburg, Ill.

The Justice Department announced today that it has reached an agreement with Paramount Staffing, a staffing company based in Northbrook, Ill., resolving an allegation that the company violated the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) by requesting more or different documents from individuals during the employment eligibility verification processes based on the individuals’ citizenship status.

The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against the owner and operators of a Fremont, Calif., apartment complex, alleging that they had discriminated against families with children in violation of the Fair Housing Act by prohibiting children from playing in the common grassy areas of the complex.

A patient recruiter and a therapy staffing company owner were sentenced today to serve 50 months and 46 months in prison, respectively, for their participation in a $7 million health care fraud scheme.

The Justice Department reached an agreement today with SD Staffing LLC (SD Staffing), aka Atwork Personnel Services Inc., a company based in Methuen, Mass., resolving claims that the staffing company engaged in citizenship status discrimination in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

The Justice Department reached an agreement today with Real Time Staffing Services LLC, doing business as Select Staffing, a company based in Santa Barbara, California. The settlement resolves the department’s claims that Select Staffing discriminated against work-authorized non-U.S. citizens in violation of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

Pharmacy staff who are thought to have died as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic are to be among the healthcare workers remembered with a minute’s silence on 28 April 2020.

To read the whole article click on the headline

NHS England has advised pharmacies to risk assess staff who may be particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, including those from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background.

To read the whole article click on the headline

Just over 550 community pharmacy staff members were referred for COVID-19 tests through a national booking system run by the Care Quality Commission, over ten days in mid-April 2020, the NHS watchdog has told The Pharmaceutical Journal.

To read the whole article click on the headline

Tough times at Orchard Therapeutics as it swings the ax across staffers and facilities, phases in new pipeline advances and reduces interest in others.

Paytm said this will widen the base of employees having company shares.

The post India: Paytm to offer ESOPs worth $33.33m to staff appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

The platform has also indicated the end of COVID-19 support for its driver-partners.

The post Grab asks staff to opt for no-pay leave, sabbaticals, reduce work hours appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

Flynote has only ₹2 crore left in the banks of the ₹14 crore raised last year.

The post India: Sequoia-backed travel firm Flynote lays off staff amid virus crisis appeared first on DealStreetAsia.

Mar 24, 2020

To say that the Middle East Initiative (MEI) has shaped Julia Martin’s life would be an understatement. When she was a graduate student at Harvard Divinity School, Julia invited a friend to join her for an MEI film screening of The Band’s Visit. Amr accepted. Before long, they became husband and wife, and they are now raising three children together. 

Today, Julia serves as MEI’s Assistant Director, managing its programs, budgets, and strategic planning.

On Jan. 14, 2017, the Obama White House hosted 30 incoming staff members of the Trump team for a role-playing scenario. A readout of the event said, “The exercise provided a high-level perspective on a series of challenges that the next administration may face and introduced the key authorities, policies, capabilities, and structures that are…

On Jan. 14, 2017, the Obama White House hosted 30 incoming staff members of the Trump team for a role-playing scenario. A readout of the event said, “The exercise provided a high-level perspective on a series of challenges that the next administration may face and introduced the key authorities, policies, capabilities, and structures that are…

On Jan. 14, 2017, the Obama White House hosted 30 incoming staff members of the Trump team for a role-playing scenario. A readout of the event said, “The exercise provided a high-level perspective on a series of challenges that the next administration may face and introduced the key authorities, policies, capabilities, and structures that are…

On Jan. 14, 2017, the Obama White House hosted 30 incoming staff members of the Trump team for a role-playing scenario. A readout of the event said, “The exercise provided a high-level perspective on a series of challenges that the next administration may face and introduced the key authorities, policies, capabilities, and structures that are…

On Jan. 14, 2017, the Obama White House hosted 30 incoming staff members of the Trump team for a role-playing scenario. A readout of the event said, “The exercise provided a high-level perspective on a series of challenges that the next administration may face and introduced the key authorities, policies, capabilities, and structures that are…

On Jan. 14, 2017, the Obama White House hosted 30 incoming staff members of the Trump team for a role-playing scenario. A readout of the event said, “The exercise provided a high-level perspective on a series of challenges that the next administration may face and introduced the key authorities, policies, capabilities, and structures that are…

With the recent departure of White House Counsel, Don McGahn (and premature announcement of his successor, Pat Cipollone), turnover within the most senior level of White House staff members bumped up to 83 percent. Ten of the twelve Tier One staff members have departed, leaving only Cabinet Secretary, Bill McGinley, and Chairman of the Council…

When President Trump appoints a replacement to Chief of Staff John Kelly, whose resignation (or firing) he announced on December 8th, he will once again have set a record. This time it is the record for most chiefs of staff within the first 24 months of an administration. Since President Trump’s inauguration, the most influential…

On Jan. 14, 2017, the Obama White House hosted 30 incoming staff members of the Trump team for a role-playing scenario. A readout of the event said, “The exercise provided a high-level perspective on a series of challenges that the next administration may face and introduced the key authorities, policies, capabilities, and structures that are…

This week, the full-time TreeHugger crew met up in Atlanta to pow-wow over the blog we all know and love. We are serious subscribers to the working-from-home-is-green ethic, but about every 18 months or so, we get together to

Signal.MD produces fantasy anime

As coronavirus spreads in the provinces, more and more health workers are getting sick - and dying.

Mahi Malini Pujari says initially she would avoid interacting with guests, but has now grown more confident

Last year, restaurant manager Josein Fernanda found herself in a tough spot when a colleague spotted a bodice and a bunch of padded bras in her bag while they were working on a cruise liner in Goa, where she was working as a manager. The 44-year-old, born a boy in Mumbai's Lamington Road area, says she has always felt like a girl and would clandestinely cross-dress. But, it was a secret that Fernanda had zealously guarded until then. "My boss called me and said, 'I don't want this news to leak. So stop indulging in this.' Well into my 40s, I had reached a point where I couldn't conform to society anymore. There was an overwhelming sense to come out of the closet," she says. Fernanda resigned from the job and returned to Mumbai, liberated but uncertain about what the future held.

Shonali Mude, a former runner-up at Miss Trans Queen 2017 joined in January this year. Mude, who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor, says jobs for transgender are limited. Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks, Mude says she had no luck. She now works as a floor attendant

Being in the public eye
When we meet Fernanda on a weekday afternoon at Third eye Cafe, located on the ground floor of Palm Galleria Mall, Navi Mumbai, she is sitting near the bar with her laptop. The wall facing her reads, 'Be the Change You Want to See'. Wearing a black blazer with slim fit pants and glinting earrings, Fernanda - formerly known as Innocento - has finally embraced change. She chanced upon the cafe while browsing through YouTube, and got in touch with the owners. She now proudly identifies herself as a woman. Along with her, five other trans-women found their lives transformed when were hired as staffers at the restaurant. The cafe currently has six transgender employees, five of whom work as table attendants, while one works as the manager. The restaurant employs around 20 persons.

Josein Fernanda - formerly known as Innocento - finally came out of the closet on learning of this job in January

"As the name suggests, the restaurant was launched with the intention of providing the third gender an opportunity to lead a more respectable life," says co-owner and architect Nimesh Shetty, who started the venture with his partners Prasad Shetty and Nitesh Kandarkar. Nimesh, 27, conceptualised the cafe almost six years ago while working on an architectural thesis around building a community centre for the transgenders. As envisioned, the cafe would be part of the centre. He even conducted a survey to understand whether people would visit a place like this during the thesis. "A lot of people said yes, we accept the third gender. But, are you willing to accept your sister or closest friend as a transgender? That's when people fumbled. This is something we want to work on," says Shetty, who hails from a family of hoteliers.

A typical day
At the restaurant, we see Mahi Malini Pujari, 24, on her feet taking orders and interacting with guests. She's aware of the reaction her presence normally invites - raised eyebrows, unflinching stare, giggles and sometimes nonchalance - but she has learnt to take it all in her stride. In fact, when a bunch of guests arrive, she's the first to guide them to the table and make them comfortable by offering water and exchanging pleasantries. "Initially, I wouldn't utter a word to the guests. I'd take orders and do clearances. I didn't have the confidence to initiate or a hold conversation," says Pujari. The make-up is minimal, just enough to make her look fresh-faced. The 24-year-old worked at Arzoo Foundation, a de-addiction and rehabilitation centre situated at Palghar. Before that she would beg on the streets and in trains. "I joined the hijra community in Bandra after I left home. I didn't even complete my Std X because my parents gave me an ultimatum: 'either I behave like a boy or leave'," she says. Pujari chose the latter. She now lives in an apartment provided by the owners, in Vashi along with the other staff. While the response from the hijra community to her choice of a new career has been fairly encouraging, her family has still not accepted her. "I've let it go," she says.

Know your food
In almost two months' time, Pujari has upped her social skills and also memorised the menu. A part of the credit goes to Fernanda, who the staff treats as 'didi'. "Of course, they need to know how conduct themselves in public. Along with that, she must know the food that we serve here and what goes into its making like the back of their hand. The guests always check with the server first," says Fernanda.

Spread over eleven pages, the menu is extensive with sections separating Italian, Oriental and Indian cuisine. Currently, the restaurant doesn't serve alcohol but it's in the pipeline. We order the beetroot falafel made with parsley pesto, tahini yoghurt and pomegranate for R199. The portion is impressive and scores well on the taste front. "Many come here for the novelty value. But, they'll return only if the food and service is good," says senior staffer Shonali Venkatesh Mude, a former runner-up at Miss Trans Queen 2017, who joined in January this year. Mude, who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor, says careers as a transgender are limited. Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks or even advertisements, where she'd have to portray a woman, Mude says she had no luck. "I wanted a job where I'd get a steady income."

A group of women sitting next to our table have dropped by from Nerul during lunch hour to celebrate a colleague's birthday. That's the overt reason. The real one is to experience what's it like to be served by transgender staff. "I don't mean to treat them as specimens, but we wanted to experience this. I'm happy that we're finally getting to see them in mainstream jobs. Till now, you would see them begging inside trains," says Divyani Fulzele, who works at an IT firm. When they're about to leave, they compliment Mude and promise to return. This time for the peppy vibe and the food. "Compliments work as a confidence-booster. While I'm more educated and experienced than the rest, there was a trepidation about how it'd pan out. But I like coming to work," smiles Mude, who lives with her partner in Khargar.

Setting an example
In 12 months, owner Nimesh Shetty has interviewed over 600 transgenders for the job by seeking help from NGOs and transgender activist Gouri Sawant. "Actually, it's they who interviewed me because they had more questions than I did. It's natural, because they are leaving their comfort zone and for an all-new territory," he adds. He admits some quit the job within weeks because of adjustment issues. "It's a high-pressure job, where sometimes you clock in 10-12 hours. Some couldn't deal with that," he says.

Shetty feels the challenges of being transgender are different from what gay men or women face. "Here, we are talking about survival. Many get thrown out of the house when they come out." For now, Shetty is hopeful that the restaurant will inspire others to follow suit. "We don't want to capitalise on this as a gimmick. The goal is to inspire."

Catch up on all the latest Mumbai news, crime news, current affairs, and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

Thane: A day after six people on election duty were rescued from a lift at a school in Maharashtra's Thane district, three more poll staffers got stuck in the same elevator as it malfunctioned again on Monday, an official said.

The three poll staffers were using the lift in Sahakar Prasarak Mandal School at Kalwa town in the morning when it got stuck on the building's fourth floor after developing a technical snag, Thane civic body's regional disaster management cell chief Santosh Kadam said. The fire brigade personnel rushed to the spot and managed to rescue those stuck in the lift after around 15 minutes, he said. The lift was being used by the poll staff to reach the classrooms where the election material was kept, Kadam said. On Sunday, six poll staffers got stuck in the school's lift for around 40 minutes before being rescued, he said.

An average 18.39 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the first four hours in Maharashtra's 17 seats on Monday as polling for the fourth and last phase of Lok Sabha elections in the state was underway. Polling began at 7 am and long queues were seen outside many booths, some of which were decorated with balloons and 'rangolis'. So far, Nandurbar Lok Sabha seat recorded highest polling at 24.59 per cent while Kalyan constituency saw the lowest voter turnout of 13.91 per cent, according to an official statement. The voting figures till 11 am in other constituencies are as follows: Dhule- 18.26 per cent, Dindori - 21.06 per cent, Nashik- 17.22 per cent, Palghar- 21.46 per cent, Bhiwandi- 17.25 per cent, Thane-17.43 per cent, Mumbai-North- 19.46 per cent, Mumbai-North West 17.64 per cent, Mumbai-North East-18.39 per cent, Mumbai-North Central- 16.21 per cent, Mumbai-South Central-16.80 per cent, Mumbai- South 15.51 per cent, Maval- 18.23 per cent, Shirur- 18.65 per cent and Shirdi 20.55 per cent.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates

COVID-19 has now reached the doorstep of the state government, with four Mantralaya staff members testing positive for it. The state health department officials confirmed 27 deaths in Maharashtra, which was the highest number reported in a single day and the state's count of cases climbed to 8,590.

Civic officials said that of the four Mantralaya staffers, three tested positive on Sunday while one was confirmed on Monday. "They were on duty and include a sweeper and a driver. Contact tracing is underway and we will test the high-risk contacts," said a civic official. The official added that a portion of Mantralaya may be cordoned off if necessary. Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh said that the staffers were taken to Kasturba Hospital for testing.

Four more ward boys of the TB Hospital in Sewri tested positive on Sunday taking the total count of infected staff members to 14. "One of the ward boys had directly gone to Kasturba Hospital and was admitted with symptoms. He has been shifted to the ENT Hospital. Two others are Thane residents and had sore throats," said Dr Lalitkumar Anande, medical superintendent of the TB Hospital, adding that two of the ward boys have been kept in isolation at the staff quarters.

No new cases in Mahim, Dadar
The number of cases in Dharavi continued to rise with 13 new cases reported on Monday. Majority of the new patients were senior citizens taking the total count in the area to 288. Civic officials said that no new cases were reported from Dadar and Mahim for three consecutive days and while 17 patients were discharged from Dadar, nine were discharged from Mahim on Monday.

The cumulative cases in Mumbai city are 5,776 while the total cumulative deaths here are 219. State health officials said that there were 522 new cases in Maharashtra, of which 369 were from Mumbai. Of the 27 deaths, 15 were from Mumbai, six in Amravati, four in Pune and one each in Jalgaon and Aurangabad. Among the deceased patients, 22 suffered from other ailments including diabetes and hypertension.

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After 15 cases of Coronavirus among its workforce, including one death, the BEST Undertaking, that is currently the city's lifeline, has begun daily temperature checks of employees at entry points of all bus depots.

BEST officials said that of the 15 cases, two have been categorised under 'occupational exposure' — that is, the virus was probably caught by the patients at work. In the rest of the cases, employees came to work after already being exposed to the virus elsewhere. For example, one of the infected employees was residing in a Containment Zone and the one who died had visited his native place and had been hospitalised.

"Eventually, a picture goes out that the 15 BEST employees got Coronavirus while at work. The fact that they came to work after already having been exposed to the virus elsewhere is ignored and this aspect of occupational exposure goes unnoticed. Of the 15, seven are bus conductors, four are drivers, two are electricity department employees and two are from the transport engineering department," a BEST spokesperson said.

"Temperature guns have been provided at bus depot entry points and the body temperature of all employees is being checked when they enter the premises for work. Only after due recordings, employees are allowed to proceed to work," another senior official said.

The BEST also redrew its plans and omitted conductors from several buses after cases of employees contracting the virus at work surfaced and trade unions alleged poor standards of protection for the staff.

"We had been warning since day one. The BEST has woken up after 35 days, now that employees are testing positive. Still, better late than never," said BEST Kamgar Sanghatna general secretary Jagnayaran Kahar. The union had organised a 'Demand Day' on April 21 seeking safety for BEST workers.

Conductor beats COVID-19
A BEST conductor of Goregaon depot, who has a history of asthma, and a resident of Mira Road, was admitted at Tambe hospital as a COVID-19 positive case since April 13. On Tuesday, he was discharged from the hospital.

Made to sign undertaking: BEST Power staff

BEST Power employees said that they have been forced to sign an undertaking that says they have not come in contact with Coronavirus patients and that no one in their family is positive. A BEST spokesperson said that the undertaking was necessitated because, in 13 of the 15 positive cases, the virus was probably caught by the workers elsewhere. The spokesperson added that the understanding is required to maintain a database.

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The Kalachowkie police have registered a case against three people who entered a sealed building on the pretext of checking for COVID-19 patients. The building was sealed after BMC officials found positive patients in it. The trio was equipped with thermal scanners.

According to the Kalachowki police, on Monday afternoon, the accused Aniket Chaugule, 25, Deepak Wagh, 24, and Ashok Chavhan, 22, visited Vikrant Sadan building in Chinchpokli and posing as BMC employees, told residents that they had come to checking for any positive patients in the building.

When the residents asked for documentary proof, the trio could not produce any. So, the residents called the Kalachowkie police.

As soon as the call was received, a police team reached the building and after interrogating the three found that they were not BMC employees. A case was registered against all three and the police quarantined them. The accused have been maintaining that they had come to do social work and had no intention of cheating anyone. Police are verifying their claims.

A police officer told mid-day, "Outsiders are banned from entering the sealed building. In such a situation, these three people violated the law by entering the building and lied to residents that they are BMC employees. We are investigating further," said Kalachowkie Senior Police Inspector Gokulsing Patil.

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Western Railway staff on Tuesday found the batteries of a local train parked near Borivli missing. Local trains have been stationary for over a month now following the lockdown.

WR officials said it was discovered early Tuesday morning by the Western Railway staff on duty who were inspecting and carrying out basic checks as per schedule.

Sources said that a few WR staff, as per routine schedule, went to check the functioning of vital components of trains stabled on the tracks between Borivli and Kandivli stations.

They found that five batteries were removed from the battery box, which was locked. However, WR authorities are unsure whether these batteries have been stolen, or have been removed by their staff for some technical inspection.

RPF officials said they are investigating the matter.

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A swimming pool maintenance employee working at the Bombay Presidency Radio Club (BPRC) in Colaba amid the Coronavirus lockdown died of electrocution on Thursday. Ramchandra Bhuneshwar's body was seen floating in the swimming pool by another staffer.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Sangramsinh Nishandar said an Accidental Death Report has been filed. "Prima facie, a 42-year-old man in charge of maintaining the swimming pool at Colaba's Radio Club died of electrocution. We have registered a case under Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the Indian Penal Code against Radio Club officials and the contractor for breaking lockdown norms," he said.

Senior police inspector of Colaba police Shivaji Phadtare said Bhuneshwar was taking water out of the pool with the help of an electric pump when he got electrocuted.
Sources said that Bhuneshwar, a contractual employee, was asked by his contractor Babu Khomrekar to clean the water of the swimming pool a week ago. "At the time of conducting the panchnama, Khomrekar was called by Colaba police. He told the police that Adi Mistry, a Managing Committee Member working as the Chairman of Swimming Pool and Gym at the Radio Club, told him to get Bhuneshwar to change the pool water," a source working at the Radio Club said.

Bhuneshwar is survived by wife, Vimal, two daughters and a six-year-old son. His relative, Siddhant Gaikwad, said, "Bhuneshwar was asked to continue maintenance work at Radio Club's swimming pool even during the lockdown. He lives in Murud Janjira. When no permanent staff is working at the club, why was he forced to continue his work?"

President of Radio Club, Harish Kumar Garg, said, "I am not aware how Bhuneshwar died and what was he doing at the Radio Club amid a lockdown as I am a 72-year-old man and I have been staying home."

Ramchandra Bhuneshwar

Sources said nearly a dozen Radio Club employees living at the premises spoke to the Colaba police during the panchanama. "Committee members forced these workers to leave the club amid the lockdown because they spoke to the police," source added.

Club members speak

Advocate Ravi Goenka, a member of the club, said, "We all are following the lockdown rules and sitting at home. And the rich and powerful people who are on the committee of tony clubs (i.e Radio Club) call staff to work in spite of the lockdown."

The Radio Club committee refused to answer calls. A club member said angrily, "Calling in staff to work is exploitation and violation of the lockdown."

Several members expressed surprise that the pool was filled with water and not drained as no one swims there amid the lockdown. Another member said, "We do not want this brushed away as an Accidental Death Report. A poor employee has lost his life, let us get to the bottom of this through a thorough investigation."

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Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has mandated 100 percent attendance for all its employees in offices and on-field, with some relaxation to people over 55 years of age and people with medical conditions. This comes as the country is under lockdown to prevent the spread of coronavirus, which has been found to be more fatal to elderly people and those with existing health complications. "All staff over the age of 55 years are advised to either work from home or work in the office and not go on the field. People in the medical department, including doctors, nursing staff and paramedics over the age of 55 years with co-morbidities are advised to stay home for two weeks," the order issued on Friday said.

The BMC also advised all staff, who live outside its limits like Thane, Navi Mumbai, Mira Bhaynder, or Palghar, etc, to contact the nearest Ward office so they can render their services to the nearest ward office from their residence, instead of their original current posting. Earlier this week, Mumbai Police had asked its personnel who are above 55 years of age to stay at home during the coronavirus lockdown.

According to the Medical Education and Drugs Department of Maharashtra, 7061 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation area while 290 have lost their lives and another 1,180 have recovered after receiving treatment.

Maharashtra, however, remains the worst affected state in the country with at least 10,498 coronavirus cases as on Friday.

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This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

The civic body is bracing for the Centre's projection of a high number of COVID-19 cases in the coming days and to ensure full preparedness, it has beefed up work on new facilities to treat patients and has started recruiting additional medical staff to run these centres.

Senior BMC officials said that a major recruitment drive is underway to hire over 3,000 doctors, nurses and ward boys on a contractual basis. BMC is planning to rope in medical staff from the city and the green zones across the state. A senior civic official said a circular has been sent out to deans of medical colleges and ward officials for the recruitment.

Civic officials said they are preparing for around 70,000 COVID-19 cases over the next two weeks. "We will hire doctors who are part of the Indian Medical Association as well as interns, post graduate students from private medical colleges for the COVID Care Centres (CCC). Since the centres are meant for asymptomatic patients, there is no need for specialised medical equipment and can be run by a basic medical staff," the senior BMC official said. He added that the doctors, nurses and ward boys will be hired for a period of three months.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Suresh Kakani, however, said there will be some restrictions for doctors. We will only allow specialists who aged below 55 years as a precautionary measure, he said, adding, "The new recruits will work in three shifts."

The BMC is setting up CCCs for asymptomatic patients in various schools and colleges. Besides, city's largest centre, with a capacity of 1,000 beds, is coming up at the MMRDA grounds at BKC. "The work is underway and we are trying to complete it by next week. The centre will have beds and oxygen supply, but no ventilators," said an MMRDA official, adding that Jupiter Hospital in Thane is helping with designing the centre.

It will also have a laboratory that will be the primary testing centre for complete blood count and haematology. The MMRDA official said they will bear the cost of construction while the BMC will provide the staff and other support to run the facility.

The decision on who will run the facility is yet to be taken, said a civic official, adding, "The state government may ask a medical college to handle it."

3
Total no. of months the doctors, nurses and ward boys will be hired for

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With the rising number of COVID-19 positive patients in Navi Mumbai, the Navi Mumbai municipal commissioner last week asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to accommodate its employees in the city. The Navi Mumbai police commissioner on Monday, however, added to it by saying that if the cases continued to rise in the satellite city due to residents travelling to Mumbai for work, the administration will have to "force employers to accommodate their employees" in the city.

The Corona patient tally in Navi Mumbai jumped massively last week with more than 180 new cases reported in just seven days. The doubling rate of patients slid from 11 days to just six days within a week. This became a major cause of concern for NMMC and the police. According to the NMMC, of the last 180 cases, 90 per cent are related to employees working in essential services and travelling from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai every day.

In a Facebook message on Sunday evening, NMMC Commissioner Annasaheb Misal said, "We have raised this issue in a video conference with Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and also conveyed the same to BMC Commissioner Pravin Pardeshi. The BMC has agreed and will be asking hospitals and BEST to convey it to their employees."

The matter, however, escalated on Monday when Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Sanjay Kumar took to Twitter. "All people in essential services are requested to desist from commuting daily to Mumbai and back. Only visit if your job is crucial. Ask your employer to make arrangements nearby. Otherwise, you are exposing your family to COVID-19. One person infected 14 of his family members," he tweeted, adding that if the trend continued, "we have to force the employer to make arrangements at the workplace."

Around 4,000 to 5,000 bankers travel every day from Navi Mumbai to Mumbai with the banks rotating 33 per cent of their staff every day and exposing all employees to the public in a week’s time. "The same goes for doctors and the police. We request all the authorities concerned to look into it," Kumar said.

He also spoke of the infection spreading in Vashi’s APMC market. "Many vendors and merchants travel to Navi Mumbai from nearby towns and villages. We are making a list of such people and will ask them to stay in Navi Mumbai so that there won’t be any further spread."

‘Taking utmost care’
A senior officer of Mumbai Police commented on the tweet saying the police were endangering their lives for more than 12 hours a day. "We are taking utmost care regarding our personnel but if they carry the infection, it will be an unfortunate but inevitable thing. One should not get too picky while saving their jurisdiction,"
he said.

4.5k
No. of bankers who travel daily to city

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An under-trial inmate and two staff at Arthur Road Jail in Mumbai have tested positive for Coronavirus. The inmate has been admitted for treatment at JJ Hospital. The jail administration, looking at the seriousness of the matter, got 150 people, including staff and inmates tested, of which results are awaited.

According to information received from prison sources on May 2, the inmate, who was accused of murder, collapsed in the jail after which he was admitted to JJ Hospital, Meanwhile, he underwent the Coronavirus test and he was found positive on May 4 as per his reports. The jail administration then got into action and tested 150 people in the jail for the virus, and their reports are awaited.

An official of Arthur Road Jail told mid-day, "We had taken measures to prevent coronavirus. After one of the inmates and two jail staff tested positive, we got 150 people in Arthur Jail tested. The report is yet to come."

Two jail staff who tested positive have been kept under quarantine. They were earlier sent out for fieldwork. According to the jail sources, if an employee has been sent outside the jail after lockdown, he would not be given in-prison duty again and would be sent on quarantine for 14 days.

The jail has been closed down because of the coronavirus outbreak, due to which no new inmates are being accepted in the jail. At such a time, only essentials services workers are allowed inside the jail.

As the number of cases in the state is on a surge, the prison department planned some important measures. As the inmates in the prison were prone to get infected, some of the prisoners were temporarily sent out on bail. Also, five prisons in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan, and Pune have been closed down due to the pandemic.

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The civic-run Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on Friday said it would recruit a kin if any employee dies due to the coronavirus infection while on duty. It would be in the Class II or IV categories depending on the kin's educational qualifications, an official said. "Employment will be provided to the wife or son or unmarried daughter of a deceased employee.

If the person who died is a bachelor, then the job would be given to his brother or unmarried sister," an official said.

So far, 64 BEST employees have tested positive for the virus, including four who died of the infection.

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A staff member of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee has tested positive for COVID-19. Tokyo organizers issued a statement Wednesday saying it was a male employee in his 30s who worked at the headquarters building in a part of Tokyo known as Harumi. Organizers said he was in quarantine at home and gave no further details. The Tokyo Olympics were postponed last month until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The committee employs about 3,500 people, and organizers say about 90% have been working from home for the last several weeks. Organizers said the area in which he worked would be disinfected, and people who worked nearby have been told to stay home.

The Olympics are scheduled to open on July 23, 2021, but questions persist if that will be possible in light of the pandemic.

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The protesting staff Jayesh Parmar (left), Dattatray Tambadkar and Anthony D'Souza (right) outside the Mumbai School Sports Association’s office at Azad Maidan yesterday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Four Mumbai Schools Sports Association (MSSA) employees — Anthony D'Souza (junior clerk), Dattatray Tambadkar (junior clerk), Jayesh Parmar (peon) and Rakesh Gaud (groundsman) accused the school body of ill-treating them for working under protest by wearing black bands on their arms and mouths yesterday.

"Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the Maharashtra Mission One Million initiative under which over 10 lakh students across the state played football. Fadnavis and State sports minister, Vinod Tawde were present at Bombay Gymkhana.

Rakesh Gaud

Similar matches were played at various venues, of which MSSA ground was one of them. MSSA officals didn't want them to see us. Esmero Figueiredo threatened us and told us to vacate the office premises. Others were working, then why not us?" Tambadkar told mid-day.

Interestingly, the workers didn't protest in the last few days, but decided to do so only yesterday so that they can be seen by the chief minister and other officials. The ongoing tussle between the workers and MSSA is in court at the moment.

While, MSSA official Sebastian Fernandes said: "Due to the program, there was a lot of chaos hence we decided to give them a holiday. Others were working as there was final at Cooperage."

Actor Neetu Kapoor on Monday shared a post expressing gratitude to the medical staff for their efforts at the hospital where legendary actor Rishi Kapoor passed away.

The 61-year-old actor took to Instagram and shared two monochromatic pictures along with the post. The first featured the late star smiling, while the second one is an adorable picture that showed Neetu and Rishi sharing a smile. Along with the post she penned the message thanking the hospital and the staff who treated the late star like their family. She wrote, "As a family, we have a deep sense of loss.." (sic)

Have a look at the post right here: 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

As a family we have a deep sense of loss.. when we sit together and look back at the past few months what we also feel is immense gratitude - gratitude towards the doctors at HN reliance hospital! The whole team of doctors, brothers and nurses headed by Dr Tarang Gianchandani treated my husband like he was their own - they advised us like we were their own.. and for all that and more I thank them from the bottom of my heart..🙏 @rfhospital

A post shared by neetu Kapoor. Fightingfyt (@neetu54) onMay 3, 2020 at 8:40pm PDT

She added, "...when we sit together and look back at the past few months what we also feel is immense gratitude - gratitude towards the doctors at HN reliance hospital! The whole team of doctors, brothers and nurses headed by Dr Tarang Gianchandani treated my husband like he was their own - they advised us like we were their own.. and for all that and more I thank them from the bottom of my heart.. @rfhospital"

The gratitude post received more than 10 k likes within an hour of being posted. Celebrity followers including Manish Malhotra and Richa Chadha left heart emojis on the post.

Rishi Kapoor passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, Apirl 30, after a two-year-long battle with leukaemia, his family said in a statement. In September 2019, the veteran actor returned to Mumbai after staying in New York for almost a year for cancer treatment.

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