NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS REOPENING START TODAY

NEW REQUIREMENTS FOR BUSINESS REOPENING START TODAY

Today is the first day of Phase I business reopening under Governor Beshear’s Healthy at Work initiative, and we wanted to make you aware of requirements all business will need to follow starting now according to the Executive Order released Sunday. You may notice that many of these requirements have changed since the initial announcement of business requirements for reopening. The Kentucky Chamber of Commerce worked closely with the Beshear administration to ensure all requirements be practicable while keeping all employees and customers safe. Many of the recommendations we put forth are reflected in these revised requirements.

Here is a link to all minimum requirements all employers must meet starting May 11.

Please also note there are new requirements for health and temperature screenings, including employees may self-administer a temperature screening at home.

All information can be found at healthyatwork.ky.gov. In addition to minimum requirements that all business must follow, sector-specific guidelines were released for:

May 9, 2020:

• Places of Worship

May 11, 2020:

• Construction
• Horse Racing (No Fans)
• Manufacturing & Distribution
• Office-Based Businesses (50%)
• Pet Grooming / Boarding
• Photography
• Vehicle or Vessel Dealerships

May 18, 2020:

• Government Offices / Agencies

May 20, 2020:

• Funeral Homes
• Retail

We encourage ALL employers to make yourself aware of the new requirements to ensure we are able to get Kentucky’s economy back up and running while maintaining the safety of employees and customers.

Highlights to the new minimum requirements include:

1. Continue telework where possible.
2. Phased return to work.
3. Enforce social distancing.
4. Limit face-to-face interaction.
5. Universal masks and any other necessary PPE.

• Universal Employee Masks: Businesses, organizations, and entities must ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that their employees, volunteers, and contractors wear a cloth mask (a surgical or N95 mask is not required). A business, organization, or entity need not require an employee/volunteer/contractor to wear a mask when masking would create a serious health or safety hazard to the employee/volunteer/contractor, when the employee/volunteer/contractor is working alone in an enclosed space, or when the employee/volunteer/contractor is working alone in an area with more than six (6) feet of social distancing. Businesses and organizations shall provide PPE at no cost to employees and should offer instruction on proper use of masks and PPE.
• Access To Gloves: Entities must ensure that employees whose job duties include touching items often touched by others (e.g., credit cards/cash, paper, computers) wear gloves that are regularly replaced. Entities should also follow the applicable CDC, OSHA, or other federal guidelines relating to gloves.

6. Adequate Hand Sanitizer and Encouraging Hand Washing.
7. Restrict Common Areas.
8. Proper Sanitation.
9. Conduct Daily Temperature/Health Checks.

• Entities must require employees to undergo daily temperature and health checks; these checks may be either self-administered or administered by the entities prior to workplace entry. Self-administered temperature and health checks may be performed at home.

10. Create a Testing Plan.
11. Make Special Accommodations.

• Entities must, to the greatest extent practicable, make special accommodations for employees and customers at higher risk for severe illness.

12. Educate and Train Employees.

• Entities must educate and train all individuals, including employees, temporary employees, contractors, vendors, customers, etc., regarding the Healthy at Work protocols. This training must be offered during scheduled work times at no cost to the employee.

13. Contact Notification Responsibilities. Entities opened must be prepared to assist public health officials if an employee test positive or becomes exposed to COVID-19.

PHASE 2 OF REOPENING INCLUDES RESTAURANTS, CHILD CARE, AND MORE

The next phase of reopening Kentucky businesses will span from May 22 through June 15 and include things like restaurants at limited capacity, movie theaters and gyms, campgrounds, and childcare.

On Thursday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Phase 2 of industry-specific reopening will start on May 22 with all businesses continuing to follow the 10 rules of healthy at work laid out by the administration and industry-specific guidelines for each.

The new tentative dates for reopening are:

• May 22 – Restaurants, with limited 33% capacity and outdoor seating with proper social distancing
• June 1 – Movie theaters, fitness centers
• June 11 – Campgrounds, public and private
• June 15 – Child care, with reduced capacity; and potentially low-touch and outdoor youth sports

The Governor added that Phase 3 is coming July 1 with bars, with limitations, and gatherings up to 50 people allowed.