Essential Business Guidance
Employee and customer health is our top priority during the COVID-19 pandemic, and Ohio Liquor supports and thanks Agencies for their efforts in ensuring safety for all parties at their stores.
As a reminder, here are several things Agencies must do as an essential business:
- Determine and enforce a maximum number of customers allowed in a store at one time.
- Agencies must ensure people waiting to enter the store maintain safe social distancing.
- The maximum number of customers must be posted at the entrance of the business, and it is up to the business to determine what that number is based on the size of their store.
- Designate separate operating hours for elderly and vulnerable populations.
- To help Agencies accommodate this requirement, Agencies may start before their contractually authorized start time of 9 a.m. if they choose, with proper notification to the Liquor Enterprise Service Center (LESC).
- Agencies may also keep their regular operating hours and designate the first hour to these populations.
- Agencies are asked to limit the sale of highly allocated products to one per customer to ensure the product is available during regular operating hours as well.
- Designate six-foot distances.
- Designate with signage, tape, or by other means six foot spacing for employees and customers in line to maintain appropriate distance.
- Have hand sanitizer and sanitizing products readily available for employees and customers.
- Post online whether a facility is open and how best to reach the facility.
To assist Agencies in avoiding lines or crowds at their stores, OHLQ requires the following:
- Do not offer or announce highly allocated products for sale at store opening on delivery day.
- Randomly stock highly allocated products throughout the day either on delivery day or the next day.
- Do not offer or announce highly allocated products for sale at specific times on specific days.
- If an Agency is reported as having lines/crowds, they will no longer receive highly allocated products until further notice.
Agencies are reminded they may alter their hours of operation during this time. Agencies should contact the LESC to detail the days and hours that will be altered.
Failure to comply with the ODH and OHLQ requirements will result in compliance action, including loss of the Agency’s Bonus Commission.
Questions regarding the essential business requirements should go to the Ohio Department of Health at 833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634) or your
local health district
.
Agencies may contact the LESC at 877-812-0013 or
OhioLiquorInfo@com.ohio.gov
to report they will be operating prior to 9 a.m. or altering their store hours.
