On Sunday, November 15th, Michigan’s Governor and the Michigan Dept of Health and Human Services announced an Emergency Gatherings and Face Mask Order. This is a 3-week order that took effect on November 18 at 12:01 a.m. and remains in effect through December 8, 2020 at 11:59 p.m.

Here are highlights that impact our industry:

Gatherings:
–    A gathering at a retail store, library, or museum must not exceed 30% of total occupancy limits established by the State Fire Marshal or a local fire marshal. Nevertheless, a retail store, library, or museum may permit one customer at a time to enter if strict adherence to the 30% total occupancy limit would otherwise result in closure.
      o    Retail stores must establish lines to regulate entry and checkout, with markings for patrons to enable them to stand at least six feet apart from one another while waiting.
–    Please note that the 30% capacity limit applies to all people inside the building—this includes employees and vendors.
–    For retailers unsure of their capacity limits, please use the International Fire Code which recommends 60 square feet per person. Based on those limits, a 1,000 square foot of sales space has a fire code capacity of 16 people. Applying the 30% restriction, a 1,000 square foot space may have up to 5 people.

Masks:
–    Except as provided elsewhere in this order, a person responsible for a business, store, office, government office, school, organized event, or other operation, or an agent of such person, must prohibit gatherings of any kind unless the person requires individuals in such gatherings (including employees) to wear a face mask, and denies entry or service to all persons refusing to wear face masks while gathered.

–    A person responsible for a business, store, office, government office, school, organized event, or other operation, or an agent of such person, may not assume that someone who enters the facility without a face mask falls within one of the exceptions specified in section 8 of this order, including the exception for individuals who cannot medically tolerate a face mask. An individual’s verbal representation that they are not wearing a face mask because they fall within a specified exception, however, may be accepted.

More information can be found by clicking on these links:
-    Entire Nov. Emergency Order on Gatherings and Face Masks
-    Social Gathering Guidance
-    Epidemic Order Open and Not open Graphic
-    Safe Social “PODS”