Global Scans · Health · Weekly Summary

• Could add $1.5 trillion to the global economy by 2030, and create millions of jobs across various sectors, such as health care, education, retail and manufacturing. Business Record
• While reactive measures provided through EAPs are still important, in 2024 the best employers will issue more proactive avenues for addressing and measuring mental health. SmartCompany
• Employers are projecting a 7% hike for health care costs in 2024, while Aon projected that average costs for U.S. employers that pay for their employees' health care could increase 8.5% to more than $15,000 per employee in 2024. SHRM
• As Cuba experiences one of its biggest exoduses in decades - or perhaps ever-more Cubans are making Houston their home, drawn by family connections, an affordable cost of living and job opportunities in key sectors, such as health care. Houston Landing
• The investment in pharmaceutical innovation helps build on Scotland's strengths in health and life sciences, creating new jobs and opportunities as part of a fair and growing wellbeing economy. Scottish Development International
• Health and human services (HHS) jobs will likely undergo major changes due to factors such as technology advances and changing demographics. Deloitte Insights
• A rapid acceleration of renewables worldwide will not only bring the 1.5 C climate goal within reach, but also bring down energy costs, boost energy security, create jobs and reduce health-harming pollution. Ember
• From 2024, millions of workers will gain the right to request flexible working from day one of a new job, which gives disabled people more options to manage their health conditions. GOV.UK
• Bhutan already contends with increasing rural to urban internal migration as people seek employment opportunities, access to quality education and healthcare. Centre for Education and International Development (CEI
• The U.S. Department of Labor announced a final rule requiring employers in high-hazard industries to submit work-related injury and illness information to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The Regulatory Review
• With poor mental health estimated to cost the Australian economy $70 billion annually, and workers comp claims related to mental health expected to triple by 2030, employers are being encouraged to see the positives in the new Code of Practice relating to psychosocial hazards in the workplace. HRM Online
• As employers begin to predict what in 2024 holds in terms of pay raises and health care costs, a new analysis predicts even steeper hikes for health care than other estimates. SHRM
• The funding opportunity announcement, led by EERE's Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office, will drive innovation to develop the next-generation technologies required to decarbonize industry, revitalize American manufacturing, create good-paying jobs, and improve community health. Energy.gov
• To improve access, 70% of employers said they will offer no or low-cost virtual counseling in 2024, 37% said they will offer coverage of out-of-network treatment for mental health and substance use disorder services and 30% said they will provide no or low-cost on-site mental health counselors. MedCity News
• Offshore wind, done responsibly, offers Maine the opportunity to secure abundant clean energy, stable energy prices, good-paying jobs and a healthier environment for future generations. Tech Xplore
• Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service announced that it is investing more than $20 million for projects that reduce wildfire risk and restore healthy forests while creating jobs through USDA's Good Neighbor Authority. US Forest Service
• The demographic shift towards an ageing working population could hamper China's economic growth and create social challenges - including building an adequate social welfare system, strengthening health care services, and sustaining long term employment. SpringerLink
• The IRA's climate investment opportunities have provided Oregon with a powerful toolset to drive down the cost of living for Oregon families, improve public health, boost economic growth and job creation, and help Oregon communities prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. Oregon Environmental Council
• In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to provide a work environment free of recognized, serious hazards. JAMA
• Idaho identifies Shared Stewardship project areas to reduce wildfire risk, create jobs, improve forest health. Office of the Governor
• In the past year, there has been a strong uptick in jobs in government and health care, sectors in which women of colour have historically found employment opportunities. The Washington Post

Last updated: 11 February 2024