Workers who can do their jobs from home are being forced to do so by the coronavirus, and many of these workers feel fortunate, even if they feel that they are working harder.
Miguel Pereira | Getty Images
As the coronavirus has forced businesses, restaurants, stores and theaters across the country to shut down, a quarter of American workers have filed for unemployment benefits.
At the same time, the public health crisis has created some new jobs.
As companies weigh how to reopen and bring staff back in a safe way, temperature screeners and Covid-19 testers will be needed. With parties and conferences unfolding over screens, video platform support specialists could find it easy to get hired.
“[W]e have a public health disaster that’s created a wide range of roles needed to contain the disease and increase the confidence of American consumers,” said Julia Pollak, a labor economist at ZipRecruiter, a job marketplace.
According to a list compiled for CNBC by Pollak, here are eight positions that are likely to only increase in popularity.
1. Covid-19 testers
These workers will conduct swab tests at hospitals, nursing homes, factories and offices.
The positions will likely be filled by registered nurses and nursing assistants. The pay can be as high as $45 an hour. “These opportunities are open to many people who are willing to invest in the skills training,” Pollak said.
“And this will still be a growing job for quite a while as factories and companies reopen.”
2. Covid-19 caregivers
Honor connects older adults with caregivers using its app-based technology.
Source: Honor
There’s a surge in demand for caregivers to tend to the hundreds of thousands of Americans who’ve contracted Covid-19. Of course, people will want to consider the risks to their own health from such work.
Wages typically go up to $25 an hour and may require training and certification.
3. Contact tracers
Contact tracers call people who might have contracted the virus to provide tips and try to arrange testing.
The work can typically be done from home, part-time or full-time, and pays up to $25 an hour.
4. Temperature screeners
5. Bylaw enforcement officer
6. Screen manufacturers and installers
Businesses and schools will need to install plexiglass shields and dividers if they want to safely accommodate students, workers and customers.
As a result, there should be a high demand for people who can make and set up the structures.
Wages can go up to $20 an hour.
7. Face-mask makers
Getty Images | andresr
People around the country could be wearing face masks for years, according to some predictions, and so the demand for the coverings will stick around, too.
Pollack expects companies to welcome back their employees with logo-branded masks. They could also be sold at sporting events and concerts, she said.
Pay for people who can make the coverings can be as high as $18 an hour.
8. Zoom support specialists
As teachers adapt to virtual classrooms, and doctors perform exams via screen, there’s a growing need for video platform technical support.
“There’s a huge demand for people who can help facilitate video meetings,” Pollak said.
Pay can go up to $25 an hour.