As we surmised last week, it was good news and bad news for working Ohioans and small business owners.
Responsible RestartOhio
was outlined Monday by Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted. It was developed in conjunction with the governor's appointed economic advisory board.
It’s immediate good news for health care which can open Friday. Some reasonable news for offices, construction sites, manufacturers, and distribution sites, which can open next Monday, and so-so news for some consumer retails, which can open May 12.
But it’s also incredibly disappointing news (with a bit of hope) for those who owe and work in dine-in restaurants and bars, schools, daycares (adult and children) gyms, hair salons and barbers, and the entertainment industry. These folks have no clear indication when they might open, other than the ambiguous, “as long as we aren’t seeing numbers that are terribly alarming.”
As is the norm with the COVID-19 world, it was one-third encouraging, one-third worrisome, and one-third infuriating.
The
encouraging
part, which is still arguable, is that we’re making some progress. We can argue whether the moves announced today amount to more than a gussied-up stay-at-home order, but more people will be back to work in May. That’s good. My thought is that DeWine is working hard to
balance public health with economic realities
.
It’s also true that most of the businesses that will be re-opening will be able to comply
with the standards
unveiled Monday.
It’s
worrisome
because some of the businesses that have significantly lost revenue so far remain close and are at-risk. It’s also troubling because while we’re telling employees to go back to work, many people don’t have childcare or schools to allow them to be there during regular work hours.
And, if you are a restaurant employee, bartender, gym owner, barber or hairdresser, you’re probably
still infuriated
– because you still don’t have a clear picture of when you might be working with your customers and co-workers again. Oh, if you wanted Ohio completely re-opened, you are not happy, and that’s also understandable.
Here are some thoughts:
- If you don’t have a specific plan to re-open your business, you need one ASAP. You’ll want something to point out to employees and customers. Reach out if you need help developing those plans. They must include:
- Masks. You must have them for employees.
- A process for cleaning and sanitizing high-touch areas.
- Good hygiene practices for your employees.
- Daily health screenings and a process to handle a symptomatic employee.
- A plan to limit the occupancy of your business to no more than 50% of existing fire code.
- Along those lines, our larger businesses are doing them. I was among a group that received a sneak peek at the Kenworth approach on Friday and came away with the impression they are prioritizing safety and phasing in production. Kroger announced its strategy over the weekend. The Chamber, which intends to re-open on May 4, will publish its policy in the coming days.
- As always, communication is the key. This is particularly important between employer and employee. If you’re an employer, it’s best to provide a virtual meeting to explain your approach before you re-open. Explain what you are going to do and be open to feedback. Continue to utilize technology to do meetings and communicate.
As I have mentioned before, the Chamber is working with the Ross County Health District (who will be tasked with fielding any complaints about the standards) to do Zoom meetings to explain the standards and take questions. That information is located below.
We're also working with a separate group to create local best practices to help businesses navigate the issue.
