Governor signs executive order to reopen business in lower Michigan
On June 1, Governor Whitmer lifted the Stay At Home Order and moved the rest of the state to “Phase 4” under her “Michigan Safe Start” reopening plan. Executive Order 2020-110 will allow retailers to reopen on June 4 and restaurants to reopen on June 8, both subject to capacity limits. Day camps for children will likewise be permitted to open on June 8. Effective immediately, groups of 100 or less will be allowed gather outdoors with social distancing. Office work that is not capable of being performed remotely can resume. And in-home services, including housecleaning services, can resume operations.
Subject to local regulation, gyms and fitness centers may conduct outdoor classes, practices, training sessions, or games, provided that coaches, spectators, and participants maintain six feet of distance from one another during these activities. Outdoor pools can also reopen, with restricted capacity.
Executive Order 2020-110 indicates several businesses that will remain closed including theaters, gym/fitness centers, hair salons and barbers, spas, casinos and bowling alleys.
The governor also indicated that Regions 6 & 8 (the UP and Northern Lower Michigan) will likely be moving to Phase 5 later this week, with the rest of the state to follow in the next two to three weeks. You can find the re-opening phases and regions here.
The MIOSHA and Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity have created a COVID Workplace Safety website that includes information on required workplace safety procedures before a business can reopen.
NFIB State Director Charlie Owens, and member Nevin Groce told the Senate Economic and Small Business Development Committee two weeks before that Michigan’s small businesses are dying and need to be allowed to safely re-open immediately.
While the governor has finally made moves to reopen our state economy after continued pressure from NFIB, other business groups, citizens, and the legislature, for many small businesses it will be too little too late.
The economic damage could take years to repair and moves by the governor and legislative democrats seek to make many of the mandates on employers and expanded Unemployment Insurance benefits permanent. With the budget deficits to come, such proposals will result in attempts to hike taxes on those small businesses that managed to survive the governor’s actions to pay for these new programs and spending.
