As more counties move into the “yellow phase” of reopening during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state has laid out its essential requirements for businesses to reopen and to start serving on-site customers again.

While businesses most likely know about general requirements such as social distancing, there are some measures you may not yet be aware of that are required by the state to protect your employees and customers. Here are 10 requirements of your business for reopening in the state’s yellow phase that you may not yet have known:

• Employees must have access to soap and water, hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes.
• For retail operations, handwashing breaks for employees must be scheduled at least every hour.
• For businesses that serve the public inside a building, a business must designate a time for people at high risk, including those over the age of 65, to use the business at least once a week.
• Conduct meetings virtually. For in-person meetings, limit the number of employees to 10 and maintain a distance of 6 feet.
• For retail operations, limit the number of people inside a building to no more than 50% of the total maximum occupancy.
• Establish a plan for employee COVID-19 exposure that includes building cleaning and notifying affected employees.
• Limit the number of employees in common areas.
• Provide masks for employees to wear at all times.
• Businesses should not conduct operations if unable to do so in accordance with the Pennsylvania Department of Health guidance.
• Sign and prominently display the state’s Department of Health’s COVID-19 Safety Procedures for Businesses.

This is not an exhaustive list of requirements. Businesses should regularly consult the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s website for up-to-date guidance for reopening and operating a business. Attorneys with Barley Snyder’s COVID-19 Response Service Team are also available to answer your questions on how to operate during this pandemic.

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