Jobs considered essential under Governor Whitmer's Stay Home order
Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has extended her Stay Home, Stay Safe order and identified 14 fields where workers are considered essential and must continue to report to work under the order.
Gov. Whitmer first issued the order in March and it was originally set to expire in mid-April but on Thursday, she announced it would be extended until the end of the month.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer extends and expands her Stay Home order
On Thursday, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her Stay Home order would be extended to the end of April and expanded to restrict the number people allowed in stores at a single time.
Her order required only essential personnel report to work. There had been a lot of questions about what was considered essential under the order and on Thursday, she clarified that a bit and said it includes workers in the following fields:
- Health care and public health
- Law enforcement, public safety, and first responders
- Food and agriculture
- Energy
- Water and wastewater
- Transportation and logistics
- Public works
- Communications and information technology, including news media
- Other community-based government operations and essential functions
- Critical manufacturing
- Hazardous materials
- Financial services
- Chemical supply chains and safety
- Defense industrial base
But there was more. Whitmer also included childcare workers, but only to support people who work an essential job listed above.
Additionally, workers at suppliers, distribution centers, or service providers.
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Insurance providers, provided their work cannot be done remotely, workers that provide food, shelter, and other necessities of life for those in need, workers who perform critical labor union functions.
Workers at retail stores who sell groceries, medical supplies, and products necessary to maintain the safety, sanitation, and basic operation of residences, including convenience stores, pet supply stores, auto supplies and repair stores, hardware and home maintenance stores, and home appliance retailers.
Workers at laundromats, coin laundries, and dry cleaners.
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Workers at hotels and motels, provided that the hotels or motels do not offer additional in-house amenities such as gyms, pools, spas, dining, entertainment facilities, meeting rooms, or like facilities.
Workers at motor vehicle dealerships who are necessary to facilitate remote and electronic sales or leases, or to deliver motor vehicles to customers, provided that showrooms remain closed to in-person traffic.
Businesses that fall under any of the above listings, must follow social distancing procedures including developing a COVID-19 prepardeness plan and provide it to employees, restrict number of workers present, promote working remotely, keep workers and customers at least six feet apart, increase standards of cleaning and disinfection, prevent employees from entering if they are unwell, and any other social distancing practices as recommended by the CDC.