April 10, 2020

NJGCA April 10th
Coronavirus Shutdown Update

REMINDER NEW EXECUTIVE ORDER GOES IN TO EFFECT TONIGHT
POSTER FOR YOUR STORE
NEW EDA LOAN APPS BEGIN MONDAY 9AM
NJGCA MEMBERS HELP HEALTHCARE WORKERS, FIRST RESPONDERS & OTHER NJGCA MEMBERS

Executive Order
Another reminder that everyone needs to be aware of the new requirements being created by the Governor's latest Executive Order. You can read the full order for yourself by clicking here. The order takes effect TODAY, Friday April 10th at 8pm. You may notice that some of the requirements are qualified with terms like "wherever possible" and "wherever feasible," leaving you some discretion. Others have no flexibility, although several of the requirements are likely practices you are already following. We have bolded the requirements that are most important to get in place by the deadline, since if you don't have these in place it will be obvious to anyone walking in.

Here are the requirements for all essential retail businesses:

Limit occupancy at 50% of the stated maximum store capacity at one time
Establish hours of operation, wherever possible, that permit access solely to high-risk individuals, as defined by the CDC
Install a physical barrier, such as a shield guard, between customers and cashiers wherever feasible, or otherwise ensure six feet of distance between those individuals, except at the moment of payment and/or exchange of goods
Require infection control practices, such as regular hand washing, coughing and sneezing etiquette, and proper tissue usage and disposal
Provide employees break time for repeated hand washing throughout the workday
Arrange for contactless pay options, pickup, and/or delivery of goods wherever feasible. Such policies shall, wherever possible, consider populations that do not have access to internet service
Provide sanitation materials, such as hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes, to staff and customers
Require frequent sanitization of high-touch areas like restrooms, credit card machines, keypads, counters and shopping carts
Place conspicuous signage at entrances and throughout the store, if applicable, alerting staff and customers to the required six feet of physical distance [an example sign is below]
Demarcate six feet of spacing in check-out lines to demonstrate appropriate spacing for social distancing
Require workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings while on the premises, except where doing so would inhibit the individual's health or where the individual is under 2 years of age, and require workers to wear gloves when in contact with customers or goods.
- Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings and gloves for their employees.
- Even cloth masks have been difficult to come by, the CDC has provided some basic tutorials on how to make a cloth mask without sewing, using old t-shirts or bandanas and rubber bands. Use Cloth Face Coverings to Help Slow Spread | CDC There are also numerous other tutorials on YouTube.
- If a customer refuses to wear a cloth face covering for non-medical reasons and if such covering cannot be provided to the individual by the business at the point of entry, then the business must decline entry to the individual, unless the business is providing medication, medical supplies, or food, in which case the business policy should provide alternate methods of pickup and/or delivery of such goods.
- If an individual declines to wear a mask for a medical condition, the business shall not require the individual to produce documentation to prove it.
Immediately separate and send home workers who appear to have symptoms consistent with COVID-19 illness
Promptly notify workers of any known exposure to COVID-19 at the worksite
Clean and disinfect the worksite in accordance with CDC guidelines when a worker at the site has been diagnosed with COVID-19 illness
Non-essential construction shall cease
- We have concerns that this prevents all forms of construction at essential businesses, though we are working with the Governor's Office for clarification:
  - Update as of 4/10/20: We have clarified with the Governor’s Office that environmental site remediation projects can continue and any emergency repairs at essential businesses are allowed.

Poster for Your Store
Special thanks to member Martin Gallagher for creating a sample sign for use in your storefronts, alerting customers of the new executive order requiring customers and employees to wear face masks and maintain social distancing. Feel free to print these signs out and post them somewhere visible.

New EDA Loan Apps Begin Monday
Also, one final reminder about yet another type of loan program available. This one is from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA). You can view the details and the loan application here. Applications open this Monday at 9am. We keep pointing out that timing because the amount of money set aside for these loans is way way way too low to meet demand. If you are interested, you must apply within the first hour (and probably the first 20 minutes) to have a chance at getting the money anytime soon.

NJGCA Members Help
Finally, some members have provided us with some upbeat efforts on their part to show gratitude to those who are working to get us through this crisis. Here is what our president Joe Ocello is doing at his shop:

THANK YOU to all Healthcare & First Responders
To show our appreciation PIT CREW LUBE team with Autopart Warehouse are offering FREE OIL CHANGES to Healthcare & First Responders. Just come in or call for appointment and we will handle the rest. Thank You for all you do to keep us SAFE!!!

Another member Amit Patel has come across some surgical face masks that he is willing to share if another NJGCA member needs any. Let Michelle know by emailing michelle@njgca.org and we will put you in touch with Amit.

NJGCA members have always risen to the occasion and have given of themselves to their communities. Please email michelle@ngjca.org to tell us what you are doing to assist others in this crisis, and we will share your stories too.