Takeaway: The economy is showing signs of recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, but many businesses and households are still experiencing significant economic distress. Industries where social distancing is difficult have been disproportionately affected, and they include many lower-wage and Black and Hispanic workers. Women, too, have been disproportionately affected. Excerpt: “Policymakers [should] examine some of the problems brought to the forefront over the past year…to ensure we are rebuilding an economy that works for all Americans throughout the inevitable business cycle.” Takeaway: Assuming vaccines remain effective against new variants of the virus, the U.S. economy is likely to recover strongly, propelled by pent-up demand and accommodative monetary and fiscal policy. Excerpt: “It seems likely that the economy will grow rapidly this year … over the next couple of years, we will see the unemployment rate falling back to pre-pandemic levels, with significantly...

Takeaway: The economy is showing signs of recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, but many businesses and households are still experiencing significant economic distress. Industries where social distancing is difficult have been disproportionately affected, and they include many lower-wage and Black and Hispanic workers. Women, too, have been disproportionately affected. Excerpt: “Policymakers [should] examine some of the problems brought to the forefront over the past year…to ensure we are rebuilding an economy that works for all Americans throughout the inevitable business cycle.” Takeaway: Assuming vaccines remain effective against new variants of the virus, the U.S. economy is likely to recover strongly, propelled by pent-up demand and accommodative monetary and fiscal policy. Excerpt: “It seems likely that the economy will grow rapidly this year … over the next couple of years, we will see the unemployment rate falling back to pre-pandemic levels, with significantly...

Takeaway: The economy is showing signs of recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, but many businesses and households are still experiencing significant economic distress. Industries where social distancing is difficult have been disproportionately affected, and they include many lower-wage and Black and Hispanic workers. Women, too, have been disproportionately affected. Excerpt: “Policymakers [should] examine some of the problems brought to the forefront over the past year…to ensure we are rebuilding an economy that works for all Americans throughout the inevitable business cycle.” Takeaway: Assuming vaccines remain effective against new variants of the virus, the U.S. economy is likely to recover strongly, propelled by pent-up demand and accommodative monetary and fiscal policy. Excerpt: “It seems likely that the economy will grow rapidly this year … over the next couple of years, we will see the unemployment rate falling back to pre-pandemic levels, with significantly...

Takeaway: The economy is showing signs of recovering from the impacts of the pandemic, but many businesses and households are still experiencing significant economic distress. Industries where social distancing is difficult have been disproportionately affected, and they include many lower-wage and Black and Hispanic workers. Women, too, have been disproportionately affected. Excerpt: “Policymakers [should] examine some of the problems brought to the forefront over the past year…to ensure we are rebuilding an economy that works for all Americans throughout the inevitable business cycle.” Takeaway: Assuming vaccines remain effective against new variants of the virus, the U.S. economy is likely to recover strongly, propelled by pent-up demand and accommodative monetary and fiscal policy. Excerpt: “It seems likely that the economy will grow rapidly this year … over the next couple of years, we will see the unemployment rate falling back to pre-pandemic levels, with significantly...

In her first meeting with a potential new client at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, business owner Doreen Blades poured motor oil on the Bank’s garage floor.

Carole Sears, the Bank’s supplier diversity manager, worried as the oil spread in front of her and the Bank’s Director of Building Operations, Mike Gill – Blades’ would-be client. “In my mind, I was thinking ‘Doreen, what are you doing?!’” Sears recalled.

It was all part of Blades’ plan to show how easy it is to clean up petroleum-based spills using her company’s products. Doreen covered the motor oil with a bio-remedial absorbent called SpillAway+, and it was gone in minutes.

Gill was impressed. Shortly afterward, the Bank was doing business with another woman-owned enterprise.

Blades won the business as part of the Bank’s Engage and Connect program, which helps to build networks that connect diverse vendors with potential new clients.

“We want to provide diverse...