Your favorite economy and business stories of 2020 – and ours

Accidental harassment, hoarding TP and the future of the office US Edition - Today's top story: Worried about accidentally harassing a woman? Don't be [View in browser]( US Edition | 29 December 2020 [The Conversation]( Academic rigor, journalistic flair In 2020, business and economy news was dominated by the coronavirus and its severe impact on work, workers and how we work. We covered the topic from dozens of angles, two of which are my desk’s most-read stories of the year. My favorite story of 2020, however, predates the pandemic and connects to a topic that feels like it’s been largely drowned out by the tumult of the coronavirus and the election: #MeToo. It also comes from one of my regulars, Liz Tippett at the University of Oregon, who examined fears that men in the workplace [could be accused of “accidentally” harassing a female colleague](. “To be honest, it kind of drives me crazy,” she wrote about these fears, explaining that an innocent if awkward moment won’t turn someone into another Harvey Weinstein. One year-end request: As we close our books on 2020, a reminder that your support is what lets us bring the public reliable, fact-based journalism. Hundreds of readers have already given to our end-of-the-year fundraising campaign, but if you’ve been putting it off, The Conversation U.S.‘s board will [match your donation two dollars for every dollar](, up to a total of $12,500 in gifts before the New Year. Bryan Keogh Senior Editor, Economy + Business Don’t worry, an innocuous chat by the water cooler won’t get you fired. Tetra Images/Getty Images [Worried about accidentally harassing a woman? Don’t be]( Elizabeth C. Tippett, University of Oregon The backlash has given way to a simmering male anxiety that an innocuous comment could lead to a sexual harassment accusation. - [How the Federal Reserve literally makes money]( William J. Luther, Florida Atlantic University The Fed is spending up to US$2.3 trillion to help save the U.S. economy from the coronavirus recession. But where does all that money come from? - [Will it be a ‘V’ or a ‘K’? The many shapes of recessions and recoveries]( William Hauk, University of South Carolina Some economists have begun to compare the current recession and recovery with a 'K,' while others see a 'V.' Which is it, and what does it mean? Readers' picks Almost 150 U.S. companies make toilet paper. Studio Dagdagaz/Shutterstock.com [There’s plenty of toilet paper – so why are people hoarding it?]( Jay L. Zagorsky, Boston University The new coronavirus outbreak has prompted panic buying in the US and around the world, even in products that are abundant. - [The office is dead! Long live the office in a post-pandemic world]( Beth Humberd, University of Massachusetts Lowell; Deborah Salon, Arizona State University; Scott F. Latham, University of Massachusetts Lowell The post-pandemic office will be a lot more flexible but still will be necessary to help build relationships among colleagues, according to three scholars. - [Customers hate tipping before they’re served – and asking makes them less likely to return]( Nathan B. Warren, University of Oregon; Sara Hanson, University of Richmond How do you feel when your barista asks you for a tip before she makes your cappuccino? You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation](. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe](. 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451