As many Wisconsin businesses look to a future when they can return to providing products and services, Gov. Tony Evers on Friday announced a series of business-specific documents to help keep workers, customers, and families safe when the state’s safer-at-home order is lifted.
The brochures — developed by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation in consultation with the Departments of Health Services, Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and Tourism, as well as and industry experts and associations — include general guidelines for all businesses to follow as well as industry-specific advice.
Some of the general advice for businesses includes:
- Making sure that employees who are sick don’t come to work
- Curtailing business travel whenever possible
- Promoting telecommuting or other work-from-home arrangements
- Making sure employees have access to sanitizers and personal protective equipment when appropriate
Recommendations for the professional services industry include:
- Allow employees to work from home if possible
- Limit the number of individuals in the building to those who need to be on site
- Redesign workspaces to ensure that on-site employees are separated by at least six feet
- Ensure that social distancing is also maintained in hallways and other common areas
- Limit in-person meetings as much as possible
- If you must have an in-person meeting, limit the number of attendees and meet in a room large enough to allow for at least six feet between all participants
- Host large team/staff meetings via videoconference rather than in person
- Use electronic signatures to meet signoff requirements and avoid close contact
- Encourage clients/customers
Evers said the reopening of state businesses will continue to be guided by health care metrics contained in the Badger Bounce Back plan, which include tracking new cases of COVID-19, assessing available medical resources to cope with COVID cases, and ensuring adequate testing and mitigation resources.
Copies of the guide will be available on the WEDC website at: https://wedc.org/reopen-guidelines.
