Good Morning Business! Governor Walz signed several Executive Orders in place yesterday. Review summary to those that directly impact your business.

Emergency Executive Order 20-53 Extending the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency Declared in Executive Order 20-01. "The peacetime emergency declared in the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency is extended through June 12, 2020, until this Executive Order is rescinded by proper authority, or until it is terminated by a majority vote of each house of the Legislature pursuant to Minnesota Statue section 12.31, subdivision 2(b), whichever occurs earlier.."

Emergency Executive Order 20-54 Protecting Workers from Unsafe Working Conditions and Retaliation During the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency. "Employers must not discriminate or retaliate in any way against a worker communicating orally or in writing with management personnel about occupational safety or health matters related to COVID-19, including asking questions or expressing concerns. Reasonable accommodations related to COVID-19 for such employees may include,but are not limited to, adjusting schedules or work stations, allowing employees to work from home, or permitting use of leave."

Emergency Executive Order 20-55 Protecting the Rights and Health of At-Risk Populations during the COVID19 Peacetime Emergency. "At-risk persons strongly urged to stay at home. Beginning on Sunday, May 17, 2020 at 11:59 pm and continuing for the duration of the peacetime emergency declared in Executive Order 20-01 or until this Executive Order is rescinded, all at-risk persons currently living within the State of Minnesota are strongly urged to stay at home or in their place of residence except to engage in necessary activities for health and well-being (including, but not limited to, visiting medical professionals, picking up prescriptions and other medical equipment, grocery shopping, outdoor 
to exercise, child care, caring for family members or pets) and work, if it is not possible to work from home. People who can work from home must do so."

Emergency Executive Order 20-56 Safely Reopening Minnesota's Economy and Ensuring Safe Non-Work Activities during the COVID-19 Peacetime Emergency. "All gatherings of more than 10 people are prohibited. Gatherings are groups of individuals, who are not members of the same household, congregated together for a common or coordinated social, civic, community, faith-based, leisure, or recreational purpose—even if social distancing can be maintained. This prohibition includes planned and spontaneous gatherings, public and private gatherings, and indoor and outdoor gatherings. Examples of prohibited gatherings include, but are not limited to, social, civic, community, faith-based, or leisure events, sporting or athletic events, performances, concerts, conventions, fundraisers, parades, fairs, and festivals that bring together more than 10 people from more than one household. Prohibited gatherings do not include commercial activity by workers and customers of Critical and Non-Critical Businesses."

  1. Extension of temporary closure of bars, restaurants, and other places of public accommodation. The closure of bars, restaurants, and other public accommodations set forth in Executive Order 20-04, as amended by Executive Orders 20-08 and 20-18, is extended until May 31, 2020 at 11:59 pm. Barbershops and salons may continue to conduct retail product sales in accordance with the requirements for Non-Critical Businesses set forth below. 
  2. Plan to reopen bars, restaurants, and other places of public accommodation. The Commissioners of Health, Employment and Economic Development, and Labor and Industry are directed to develop a phased plan to achieve the limited and safe reopening of bars, restaurants, and other places of public accommodation beginning on June 1, 2020. This plan will be ready for presentation to the public no later than May 20, 2020.
  3. Effective May 18, 2020 all retail stores, malls and other businesses that sell, rent, maintain and repair goods can reopen for in-person sales as long as they: 
  • Have adopted and implemented a COVID-19 Preparedness Plan, including social distancing guidelines for workers and customers
  • Allow no more than 50% of the establishment's occupant capacity inside at any time
  • All businesses that have been allowed to reopen under previous Executive Orders, including Critical Sector businesses and non-Critical Sector industrial and office-based businesses, can continue operations. 
  • Industrial or manufacturing businesses can also reopen co-located retail facilities as long as they also follow the restrictions outlined in Executive Order 20-56.
  • Critical Sector businesses that were never closed can continue to operate under the guidance in Executive Order 20-48.

Preparedness Plan Template.


Business hasn't stopped, and your Chamber hasn't either. We're all in this together.......Stay healthy!