Tech:NYC Digest: April 19

Tech:NYC Digest: April 19

April 19, 2022 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes

Tuesday, April 19, 2022 

In today’s digest, what to know about transportation mask mandates, tracking climate change on NYC’s new Climate Dashboard, and why the Great Resignation could pick up even more steam beyond the pandemic.

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By the numbers:  

  • New positive cases statewide: 4,646   

    • New positive cases, NYC: 1,823

  • NYC Positivity Rate: 3.4 percent (+0.1 percent)

  • Statewide Vaccine Progress: 

    • New Yorkers with at least one dose: 89.9 percent

    • New Yorkers who are fully vaccinated: 76.6 percent  

In today’s latest:

  • Yesterday’s ruling striking down mask mandates on public transit prompted a mix of cheers and alarm, as well as a lot of confusion. (Wall Street Journal) Pres. Biden said this afternoon that individuals can now decide whether to wear masks on planes, trains, and other modes of transit. Here’s what you need to know:

    • The TSA has stopped enforcing the mandate at airports, and the country’s four largest airlines will no longer require them on domestic flights, though travelers may opt to wear them if they prefer. (Axios) Mask mandates may still be in effect for some international flights and airports based on local rules in the country of destination. (Washington Post)

    • The MTA is still requiring masks on subways, buses, and Metro-North and LIRR rails. (NY1)

    • NJ Transit and Amtrak lifted their requirements, but the Port Authority said masks are still required at New York PATH train stations. 

    • Rideshares like Uber and Lyft have removed mask requirements nationwide, but in NYC, those services are regulated by NYC’s Taxi and Limousine Commission, which is still requiring masks in all yellow cabs and app-based ride services.

  • A new “bivalent” booster shot combining the original Moderna vaccine and one directed at a beta variant appears to have stronger, longer-lasting protection against variants of the virus than the original vaccine. (NPR) 

  • The city has rolled out a new NYC Climate Dashboard, which will allow residents and decision makers to track the city’s progress on energy efficiency, carbon emissions and resiliency projects. The dashboard will also include maps for gauging heat waves and storm flooding risks. (Gothamist)

  • Alternate-side parking will be restored to two days a week beginning this summer. (Gothamist)

In other reading:

  • Is COVID More Dangerous Than Driving? How Scientists Are Parsing Covid Risks. (New York Times)

  • ‘Big Screaming Headlines': The Status of the Pandemic in Three Charts (New York Times)

  • Why Garbage Plates Are the Most Exciting New Food in Brooklyn (Grub Street)

A record-breaking 4.3 million employees left their positions in January. This trend has only persisted, with comparable levels in February and March. 

Lattice, a workforce management startup, conducted a survey with 2,000 US and Europe-based employees and found many are willing to jump ship regardless of how long they’ve been in a role:

  • 52 percent of US employees with tenures of three months or less say they’re already looking to leave their roles, and nearly 60 percent of those within the three-to-six month range say the same.

  • The greatest number of employees surveyed who said they were actively looking to leave had been in their roles between seven and 11 months.

  • Overall, a whopping 74 percent said they were either actively looking for or open to new opportunities in the next six months to a year.

What it means: Short stints on a résumé aren't the red flag they used to be, and the Great Resignation isn’t receding with the pandemic — in fact, it might be accelerating. And in the current tech labor market, good pay and perks won’t be enough to retain talent. So what do tech workers actually want?

  • Flexibility: Most tech workers aren’t fully in the all-remote or all-in person camps. 60 percent prefer a hybrid model that includes the best of both, and companies should build policies that allow workers to define that balance for themselves.

  • Team development: Asynchronous schedules mean team-building strategies have to be more intentional than ever. Young and/or new workers in particular want more career progression and mentorship opportunities.

  • A meaningful mission: Studies have long shown employees are willing to earn less money for jobs they find more rewarding. With tech workers spending more time isolated and on Zoom, it’s especially important they feel connected to their company and feel that they’re doing meaningful work.

In other reading:

  • The end of sick days: has WFH made it harder to take time off? (Financial Times)

  • What if the future of work is exactly the same? (Vox)

  • Workers are back in offices. Why does it feel so weird? (Washington Post)

  • Air Company, a NYC-based carbon-negative alcohols and consumer products creator, raised $30 million in Series A funding. Carbon Direct Capital Management led the round and was joined by Toyota Ventures, JetBlue Technology Ventures, and Parley for the Oceans. (Insider)

  • BlockApps, a NYC-based enterprise blockchain platform, raised $41 million in Series B funding. Liberty City Ventures led the round and was joined by Morgan Creek Digital, Eidetic Ventures, Givic, as well as insiders ConsenSys, Bloccelerate, Fitz Gate Ventures, Arab Angels, Kenetic Capital, and PropelX. (TechCrunch)

  • Ellis, a NYC-based neobank platform simplifying immigration for international students, raised $5.6 million in seed funding. Kindred Ventures led the round and was joined by Castle Island Ventures, 20VC, Dreamers VC, and V1.VC. (TechCrunch)

  • Forge Health, a New York-based virtual behavioral health provider, raised $11 million in growth funding. HC9 Ventures led the round. (MobiHealth)

  • April 20: Virtual: Financial and Accounting Basics for Startup Founders, with Acuity founder Matthew May and Justworks senior manager Nate Myers. Hosted by Justworks. Register here.

  • April 21: Virtual: How is the Infrastructure rollout going — and what does it means for tech?, with US Dept. of Commerce assistant secretary Alan Davidson, National Digital Inclusion Alliance executive director Angela Siefer, and others. Hosted by Protocol. Register here.

  • April 21: Virtual: Strategies to Boost Employee Engagement in the Hybrid Workplace, with Bravely coach Costas Theofylaktidis, Owl Labs chief of staff Ben Harman, and others. Hosted by Bravely. Register here.

  • April 27: Virtual: Solving for the Last Mile, with Veho co-founder and CEO Itamar Zur. Hosted by Savills America. Register here.

  • April 29: Virtual: Creating a Culture of Data Sharing, with NYC chief analytics officers Martha Norrick, NYC Council Technology Committee chair Council Member Jennifer Gutierrez, and others. Hosted by City & State. Register here.

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