Governor Whitmer has issued a Stay Home, Stay Safe Order (“Order”) for the State of Michigan to prevent the further spread of COVID-19. Executive Order 2020-21 goes into effect on March 24 at 12:01 a.m. and stays into effect until April 13 at 11:59 p.m. The Order specifies “[n]o person or entity shall operate a business or conduct operations that require workers to leave their homes or places of residence except to the extent that those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations.”
As explained by the Governor’s synopsis.
YOU CAN:
- Go to the grocery store or pick up take-out food.
- Go to the pharmacy to pick up a needed prescription.
- Engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, biking.
- Go to the hospital or secure any care necessary to address a medical emergency or to preserve your health or the health of a loved one.
- Fill your car with gas.
- Return to Michigan to a home or place of residence from outside the State.
- Leave the State for a home or residence elsewhere.
- Walk your pets and take them to the veterinarian for needed medical care.
YOU MAY NOT:
- Leave the home to work unless your employer designates you as a critical infrastructure worker. (Chamber Note: The Order also allows workers to leave the home for “minimum basic operations” – see section 4(b) of the Order.)
- Participate in any public gatherings.
- Visit someone in the hospital, nursing home, or other residential care facilities (with limited exceptions).
- Go to the mall or to restaurants.
BUSINESSES THAT REMAIN OPEN FOR IN-PERSON WORK MUST TAKE AGGRESSIVE STEPS TO MINIMIZE THE VIRUS’S SPREAD. THEY MUST:
- Promote remote work to the fullest extent possible.
- Restrict the number of workers present in-person on the job.
- Keep employees at least six feet from one another to the maximum extent possible and enabling social distancing for customers who are standing in line.
- Any other social distancing practices and mitigation measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control.
Last week, the Michigan Chamber cautioned against a “Stay at Home” or “Shelter in Place” Executive Order that started from the premise that most, if not all, 877,000 businesses in Michigan should be closed, while a select few are allowed to stay open. We remain concerned about the impact this Order and COVID-19 will have on Michigan’s economic health.
Please contact Jason Geer or Wendy Block if you have any questions – jgeer@michamber.com or wblock@michamber.com.