Today, Governor Jennifer Whitmer signed “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), directing all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.
Effective at 12:01 a.m. on March 24, 2020, for at least the next three weeks, individuals may only leave their home or place of residence under minimal circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household to the extent feasible under the circumstances.
This Order does not supersede any other Order or directive in effect. It just provides more stringent limitations on in-person work, activities, and interactions. For example, restaurants may still offer delivery and carryout options for prepared food under The Order.
Workers that are necessary to sustain or protect life include:
- 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
For the purpose of this order, critical infrastructure workers also include:
- Childcare workers (including workers at disaster relief childcare centers), but only to the extent necessary to serve the children or dependents of critical infrastructure workers as defined in this order. This category includes individuals (whether licensed or not) who have arranged to care for the children or dependents of critical infrastructure workers.
- Certain workers at designated supply and distribution centers.
- Workers in the insurance industry, but only to the extent that their work cannot be done by telephone or remotely.
- Workers and volunteers for businesses or operations (including both religious and secular nonprofit organizations) that provide food, shelter, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, individuals who need assistance as a result of this emergency, and people with disabilities.
- Workers who perform critical labor union functions, including those who administer health and welfare funds and those who monitor the well-being and safety of union members who are critical infrastructure workers, provided that any administration or monitoring should be done by telephone or remotely where possible.
This order takes effect on March 24, 2020, at 12:01 a.m. and continues through April 13, 2020, at 11:59 p.m. Consistent with MCL 10.33 and MCL 30.405(3), a willful violation of this order is a misdemeanor.
O'Reilly Rancilio has implemented a COVID-19 Municipal Law Legal Team. For more information or to speak to an attorney, call 586-726-1000 or visit our website.
