Events & Announcements
 
March 24, 2020
 

NJGCA March 24th 
Coronavirus Shutdown Update

In terms of updates, there is no change to the situation. There has been no news on any of the relief packages that we reported to you yesterday, though there is growing hope that a package will be agreed to later today or tomorrow. We are monitoring it closely. Everything we sent yesterday is status quo with regards to potential relief packages. We are still waiting for the Senate to vote on the CARES ACT relief package that we described yesterday. Obviously, this is critical to us as small business owners and once we receive word that the Senate has voted on something we will notify you.
 
It has come to our attention that price gouging reports are continuing to pour into the NJ Attorney General’s Office. As of Monday afternoon, 1,400 complaints have been made against 900 businesses in the state. Thankfully, Attorney General Grewal stated yesterday that only a small percentage are valid; most are due to factors beyond the retailers’ control and are due to increased costs from the manufacturer or wholesaler. As a precautionary measure, convenience store owners should have records available that show that the cost went up due to wholesale prices, not gouging.
 
I have formally requested directly to Governor Murphy that he suspend the current law that bans motorists from pumping their own gas. This is for several reasons:

1. Many of you reported that employees are unwilling to work in the current environment for fear of contracting the Coronavirus.
2. It is feared that employees will actually become ill and will be unable to work.
3. Some members have reported that many of their employees actually reside in the same household and there is a greater fear that if one contracts the virus, it is more than likely that all will contract the virus. 
 
These situations will wipe out an entire employee base at any one business. 
 
Also, we have had members report to us that many customers prefer to avoid contact with gas attendants, and would like to pump their own gas, thereby keeping in lockstep with the Governor’s actions to promote social distancing. I have given several examples to the Governor, however, if I am pressed to give more I am unable to do so. Even though many of you have expressed your concerns with regard to what I have just mentioned, few of you have complied with my request to identify customers who would be willing to express their concern and also their desire to pump their own gas to the governor. Here is my specific request: 
1. Identify your location as being one that may have to close or is closing or has closed because of a lack of employees. Be specific about the number of employees that are either unwilling to work in the current situation or unable to work because of illness. It is imperative that if you are closing, that you notify us immediately. Do not call, please email Michelle at michelle@njgca.org.
2. Many of you have customer contact information in your records. I am asking each of you to EMAIL specific customers that you have a good relationship with and ask them if they have a concern about having contact with gas attendants and would prefer to pump their own gas during this crisis. You can view an email template to your customers that we created HERE. Please explain to them that supermarkets, pharmacies, and other establishments that have remained open are in the process of doing things like marking their floors with tape to denote six foot increments in order to maintain social distancing efforts. Some are installing Plexiglas at the cash registers and increasing their sanitization of the checkout areas.
3. Please ask your customers if they would be willing to express their concern about having contact with your gas attendant and their desire to pump their own gas during this crisis directly to Governor Murphy.
4. Customers should reply directly to YOU. You can forward their emails to us here michelle@njgca.org

You should ask any family and friends the same question, even if they are not your customers. You should send them the same email and ask them to reply to you as well. Our goal is to compile as many of these communications as possible and forward them onto the governor's office en masse. I will report back to you and let you know how well you are all doing with complying with this request.
 
I know you are all busy, there's no doubt about that. Each one of us has an emergent situation on our hands. I am asking each of you to sit at your computer, find a half hour to communicate to as many of your customers as possible and gather their replies, and forward them on to us. I am also asking you to send us an email with your personal situation at your business that describes exactly what you are faced with regarding lack of employees that may cause you to be unable to serve the motoring public.