June 25, 2020
New Jersey entered Stage 2 of its reopening last week. Restaurants are permitted to offer outdoor dining services, and retail establishments can have customers indoors at limited capacities.
Governor Murphy claims that outdoor activities have been shown to be less dangerous for virus transmission than indoor activities and that face coverings help in reducing the virus’ transmission.
“This is why our restart has begun by allowing nearly every type of outdoor activity to resume,” he said. “It is why, as we gradually restart indoor activities, we are being very strict in requiring face coverings, whether it is in a retail shop or a house of worship, or in personal care businesses.”
Governor Murphy added, “Indoor environments, where it is challenging to wear masks such as gyms, or where customers are sedentary for long periods of time such as restaurants, remain the most dangerous in terms of transmission. We will get there, but we will get there based on data and health metrics.”
Lifting of Stay-at-Home Order Clarifications
Governor Murphy clarified last week that office workers who can work from home should continue to do so. “We know that businesses are eager to have their employees back at their desks, but these indoor environments pose the same problem as any other. For the time being, all employees who can work from home: We want to ask you to remain on the work-from-home status.”
In a statement sent to media on June 9: “Paragraph 2 of Executive Order No. 107, which requires New Jersey residents to remain home with limited exceptions, is formally rescinded. The other provisions of that Order, including the requirement that businesses or non-profits accommodate their workforce for telework or work-from-home arrangements, wherever practicable, are still in effect.”
Organized Sports
Organized sports are resuming in stages which started on June 22. The Department of Health is categorizing sports as either low, medium, or high risk, based on guidance from the National Federation of State High School Associations.
“Low-risk sports including, for example, golf and tennis, resumed competition on June 22, while medium-risk sports such as baseball, softball, soccer and outdoor basketball will be “limited to non-contact drills and practices only,” Murphy said. Medium-risk sports competition can resume on July 6.
Non-contact drills and practices also resumed on June 22, for high-risk sports such as football. Murphy said he hopes full practices and competitions can resume on July 20.
On the topic of sports, Murphy concluded, “Across the board, all sports will have to abide by a number of health and safety protocols, including screenings for athletes, coaches and staff, limited equipment sharing, and strong requirements for disinfecting and sanitizing equipment. Activities under the oversight of the either the NJSIAA or NCAA must abide by those associations’ rules.
All competitions or tournaments must abide by New Jersey’s limit on outdoor gatherings which is currently 250 people and should be 500 people by July 3.
Stay safe,
Rich Higgins, CPA
Managing Principal - New Jersey Office
McCarthy & Company
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