New Jersey and New York Limit In-Person Workforce to Essential Businesses

Updated: 3.25.2020

Original Post Date: 3.23.2020

On March 21, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy issued Executive Order No. 107, announcing new standards for business closures in light of the coronavirus pandemic.  Effective at 9:00 p.m. on this same date, non-essential retail businesses were ordered to close their physical premises. A link to the Order is provided below.

Essential businesses that are exempt from closure include:

  • Grocery stores, farmers' markets and farms that sell directly to customers, and other food stores
  • Pharmacies and medical marijuana dispensaries
  • Medical supply stores
  • Gas stations
  • Convenience stores
  • Ancillary stores within healthcare facilities
  • Hardware and home improvement stores
  • Vehicle rental locations
  • Banks and other financial institutions with retail functions
  • Laundromats and dry-cleaning services
  • Stores that principally sell supplies for children under five years
  • Pet stores and veterinary service locations
  • Car dealerships, but only for auto maintenance and repair
  • Auto mechanics
  • Printing and office supply shops
  • Mail and delivery stores
  • Liquor stores
  • Medical facilities
  • Mobile phone retail and repair shops
  • Bicycle shops, but only to provide service and repair
  • Livestock feed stores
  • Nurseries and garden centers
  • Farming equipment stores

Whenever practicable, businesses should have their employees work from home. If employees need to be on-site, employers should use as few employees as possible. Examples of employees who may need to be on-site include: cashiers, construction workers, utility workers, repair workers, warehouse workers, lab researchers, IT maintenance workers, janitorial staff, and certain administrative staff. Manufacturing, industrial, logistics, ports, heavy construction, shipping, food production, food delivery, and other commercial operations are permitted to continue operating, but should limit the number of staff used on the premises.

Essential businesses should provide their employees with a letter indicating that the employee works for a business that is allowed to continue operations.

Similar limits are in effect in New York. On March 20, 2020, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an Executive Order requiring a 100% reduction of in-person workers in non-essential businesses in New York. The ordered reduction must occur no later than March 22, 2020 at 8 p.m. A link to the Order is provided below.

Essential businesses in New York include:

  • Essential health care operations including
    • research and laboratory services
    • hospitals
    • walk-in-care health facilities
    • emergency veterinary and livestock services
    • elder care
    • medical wholesale and distribution
    • home health care workers or aides for the elderly
    • doctor and emergency dental
    • nursing homes, or residential health care facilities or congregate care facilities
    • medical supplies and equipment manufacturers and providers
  • Essential infrastructure including
    • utilities including power generation, fuel supply and transmission
    • public water and wastewater
    • telecommunications and data centers
    • airports/airlines
    • transportation infrastructure such as bus, rail, or for-hire vehicles, garages
    • hotels, and places of accommodation
  • Essential manufacturing including
    • food processing, manufacturing agents, including all foods and beverages
    • chemicals
    • medical equipment/instruments
    • pharmaceuticals
    • sanitary products
    • telecommunications
    • microelectronics/semi-conductor
    • agriculture/farms
    • household paper products
  • Essential retail including
    • grocery stores including all food and beverage stores
    • pharmacies
    • convenience stores
    • farmer’s markets
    • gas stations
    • restaurants/bars (but only for take-out/delivery)
    • hardware and building material stores
  • Essential services including
    • trash and recycling collection, processing and disposal
    • mail and shipping services
    • laundromats
    • building cleaning and maintenance
    • child care services
    • auto repair
    • warehouse/distribution and fulfillment
    • funeral homes, crematoriums and cemeteries
    • storage for essential businesses
    • animal shelters
  • News media
  • Financial Institutions including
    • banks
    • insurance
    • payroll
    • accounting
    • services related to financial markets
  • Providers of basic necessities to economically disadvantaged populations including
    • homeless shelters and congregate care facilities
    • food banks
    • human services providers whose function includes the direct care of patients in state-licensed or funded voluntary programs; the care, protection, custody and oversight of individuals both in the community and in state-licensed residential facilities; those operating community shelters and other critical human services agencies providing direct care or support
  • Construction including
    • skilled trades such as electricians, plumbers
    • other related construction firms and professionals for essential infrastructure or for emergency repair and safety purposes
    • Defense
    • defense and national security-related operations supporting the U.S. Government or a contractor to the US government
  • Essential services necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation and essential operations of residences or other essential businesses including
    • law enforcement
    • fire prevention and response
    • building code enforcement
    • security
    • emergency management and response
    • building cleaners or janitors
    • general maintenance whether employed by the entity directly or a vendor
    • automotive repair
    • disinfection
  • Vendors that provide essential services or products, including logistics and technology support, child care and services:
    • logistics
    • technology support for online services
    • child care programs and services
    • government owned or leased buildings
    • essential government services

If your business does not fall under the New York exceptions listed above, you may request designation as an essential business by completing this form.

If you have a question about these exemptions or need assistance in seeking an exemption for your company, please contact Willard C. Shih at: 732.855.6016 or wshih@wilentz.com.

Tags: Coronavirus (COVID-19)New Jersey Executive Order No. 107New York State on PAUSE Executive OrderGovernor Phil Murphy

BLOG DISCLAIMER

The postings on this blog were created for general informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice or a solicitation to provide legal services.  Although we attempt to ensure that the postings are complete, accurate, and current as of the time of publication, we assume no responsibility for their completeness, accuracy, or timeliness.  The information in this blog is not intended to create, and receipt of it does not constitute, a lawyer-client relationship.  Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional legal counsel.

This blog may contain links to independent third party websites and services, including social media. We provide these links for your convenience, and you access them at your own risk.  We have no control over and do not monitor the content or policies (including privacy policies) of these third-party websites and have no responsibility for, and no liability with respect to, their content, accuracy, or reliability.  Unless expressly stated, we do not endorse any of the linked websites or any product, service, or publication referenced herein or therein.  We will remove a link to any site from this blog upon request of the linked entity.

We grant permission to readers to link to this blog so long as this blog is not misrepresented. This site is not sponsored or associated with any other site unless so identified.

If you wish for Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer, P.A., to consider representing you, please obtain contact information from the Contact Us area of this blog or go to the firm’s website at www.wilentz.com.  One of our lawyers will be happy to discuss the possibility of representation with you. However, the authors of Wilentz blogs are licensed only in New Jersey and/or New York and do not wish to represent anyone who viewed this site in a state where the site fails to comply with all laws and ethical rules of that state.

Sign Up

Willard C. Shih Photo

Willard C. Shih
Business and Commercial Litigation
Shareholder
732.855.6016

Tracy Armstrong Photo

Tracy Armstrong
Co-Chair, Employment Law Team
Shareholder
732.855.6020