| Greetings, Quicktake readers! This week: After months of lockdown, Americans are re-entering the workforce as the Covid pandemic turns 1. Plus: The shift to a four-day workweek is gaining steam. Stream now for free.  Portraits of American recoveryIn the year since Covid triggered a historic economic collapse, throwing more than 22 million Americans out of work, some have found their way back. Quicktake caught up with two of them. Jannai Cannon of Charlotte, North Carolina, quit the best-paying job she'd ever had as a paralegal in May, after juggling an 8-5 workday with her kids' online schooling became too much. She wasn't alone. In January, there were 2.5 million fewer women in the workforce than a year before. Cannon got a new job in August, accepting a $20,000-a-year pay cut. And last month she accepted a post that restored her pre-pandemic salary. "By the grace of God, and cashing out 401K and all, we made it through."
Garrett Mark Scott of Slatington, Pennsylvania, was laid off from his job as a data and analytics director for an automotive marketing agency. He was offered the same job back, with a pay cut. "I felt like I was taken advantage of because I had nowhere to go."
But as the pandemic wore on, remote work became a mainstay for white-collar workers, allowing Scott to get a better-paying job at an international company while still living in his town of less than 5,000 people. One study estimates that after the pandemic, 25% of all workdays will be from home. "The world is open to remote workers now," Scott said.—Andrew Mach What to watch if...you're worried about a fourth wave. State leaders from Mississippi and Texas are facing tough criticism for ending mask mandates despite myriad expert warnings the U.S. is at a critical juncture in the pandemic. ...you have firm eco-convictions. A $2 billion liquefied natural gas venture is threatening Taiwan's 7,000-year-old Datan algal reef home to several endangered species, prompting activists to rally for a referendum. ...you know progress is achieved in baby steps. In a crucial milestone, SpaceX pulled off the first successful landing of its Mars rocket prototype. Minutes later, the Starship SN10 burst into flames and exploded.  Episodes to binge watch nowOne question, answeredIs feeling lousy after a Covid vaccination a good sign? As more jabs are administered around the world, more younger people are experiencing uncomfortable side effects from fever to fatigue, a likely sign the immune system is responding in a way that should confer some level of protection.  We want to knowGaining popularity. As lockdowns over the past year changed how work gets done during a pandemic, more companies around the world are trying out a four-day workweek. In fact, ZipRecruiter says the share of job postings mentioning a shorter week has tripled in the past three years. Tell us: Should companies shift to a four-day workweek?  Our favorites of the weekWe launched a 24/7 streaming network to reinvent news with live global coverage and original shows on business, tech, politics and culture. Make sense of the biggest stories changing your business and your world. Stream now for free. | 
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