A common complaint from businesses during the COVID-19 crisis has been that there are few guidelines for reopening safely. That changed Friday afternoon, with Gov. Tony Evers unveiling a series of detailed “best practices” for various types of Wisconsin businesses.
“Wisconsin businesses have done a great job in adapting to our state’s Safer at Home order,” Gov. Evers says in a press release. “As we begin to ‘turn the dial,’ they need to know how to reopen safely so that employees and customers can feel confident when they return.”
Along with some general guidelines (compiled with input from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and other groups), there are guidelines tailored to specific business types. Agriculture, construction, entertainment, gyms, hair and nail salons, restaurants, retail, and many more are covered. They can all be found HERE.
Guidelines for outdoor gatherings and recreation are promised soon.
“What these guides really aim to do is provide actionable advice for businesses, especially small businesses, as they begin the road back to reopening,” says WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes in a press release. “The guides answer basic questions, such as how to handle transactions at cash registers, what to do about merchandise that’s been handled by customers, and how to set up an office using social distancing strategies.”
“You are encouraged to bookmark this page and check back regularly for updates to guidelines and the addition of new industry documents,” reads the site.
Some of the general guidelines include:
• Making sure that employees who are sick don’t come to work
• Curtailing business travel whenever possible.
• Promoting telecommuting or other work-from-home arrangements
• Making sure employees have access to sanitizers and personal protective equipment when appropriate.
The press releases also states that “state businesses will continue to be guided by the health care metrics contained in the Badger Bounce Back plan, which include tracking new cases of COVID-19, assessing available medical resources to cope with COVID cases, and ensuring adequate testing and mitigation resources.”
Gov. Evers’ “Safer At Home” order remains in effect until May 26; despite a pending Wisconsin Supreme Court decision on the legality of the order (yep, staying at home for two months is EXACTLY like Japanese internment camps in World War II) and everyone else kind of opening whenever they want, Evers has said he sees “no reason” to extend it.