Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers & COVID-19 and Flu Preventive Measures

Source: CDC, Atlantic Health Systems and Town of Morristown

We remind all members of our community that there are everyday preventative actions they can take to help limit the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and flu.

Residents and business owners are reminded to take simple steps to protect themselves and others from respiratory illness:

• Stay home if you are sick.
• Wear a face covering when leaving home for essential items and services only.
• Adopt work from home policies or flexible work hours.
• Maintain distance (about 6 feet) from others when possible.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Avoid handshakes. Try an elbow bump.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (not your hand).
• Get a flu shot to prevent the flu if you have not done so this season.

Updates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Urgent Resource Needs

How to Make a Facemask

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Donations

Community Groups Supporting Local Businesses 

Submit your content and keep customers up-to-date with your business operations, online and in store.

Morristown Order Out Twice a Week Stimulus Plan

Morristown, NJ Community Forum

Serve it Forward

CDC WEBSITE

CDC WEBSITE EN ESPAÑOL

NEW JERSEY COVID-19 Information Hub

Call (Clinical Questions): 1-800-962-1253 (24/7)

Text NJCOVID to 898-211 to receive alerts

Call (General COVID-19 Questions): 2-1-1 (7a-11p)

For general information & basic needs, dial 211.

• Basic Human Needs: Contact 2-1-1 when you need help finding food banks, clothing closets, shelters, rental assistance, utility assistance…
• Support for Seniors and Persons with Disabilities
• Support for Children, Youth and Families
• Physical and Mental Health Resources
• Employment Supports

Morristown businesses truly appreciate the community’s continued support!
Thank you for spreading the word for those who are open and uplifting those who are closed.
We’ll see you soon!

New as of 6.12.2020

New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling Update

On June 12, 2020, the Governor signed Executive Order 154 (details pending), permitting the resumption of certain personal care services. Based on EO 154, the Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs has issued an Administrative Order, which permits facilities licensed by the Board of Cosmetology to reopen and provide services beginning June 22. The Administrative Order requires licensees to follow protocols to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please read and familiarize yourself with the requirements of the order.

New as of 6.4.2020

ABC General Covid-19 Information
New Expansion of Premise Permit: Limited outdoor service may resume on June 15. The new permit is available to all licensees with retail consumption privileges. The permit will allow licensees to expand their licensed footprint to nearby property to accommodate social distancing. The permit is valid until November 30. There is a one-time $75 fee. ABC will begin accepting permit applications exclusively through POSSE online on June 5. Applications must be endorsed by municipal clerk and police chief through the POSSE portal. No paper applications.

COVID-19 EXPANSION OF PREMISES PERMIT CANNOT BE ISSUED FOR ANY PROPERTY ON WHICH MERCANTILE BUSINESS (SUCH AS THE SALE OF MERCHANDISE OR OTHER SERVICES) IS CONDUCTED.

This permit is available to: Plenary Retail Consumption licensees, Plenary Retail Consumption licensees with the “broad package privilege” operating primarily as a bar/restaurant, Seasonal Retail Consumption licensees, Plenary Retail Consumption licensees operating under the Hotel/Motel exception, State Concessionaire permittees, Temporary Authorization permittees with on-premises consumption privileges, Golf Facility permittees, Club licensees, Limited Brewery licensees, Restricted Brewery licensees, Plenary Winery licensees, Farm Winery licensees, Cidery and Meadery licensees, and Craft Distillery licensees who want to temporarily expand their permanent licensed premises onto contiguous and non-contiguous areas in order to accommodate a greater number of patrons without violating social distancing restrictions. The fee for this one-time special permit is $75. This permit will be effective on the date it is issued and will expire on November 30, 2020.

New as of 6.1.20

Effective 6/15:

• Outdoor dining at restaurants can begin
• Non-essential in-person retail can begin

Effective 6/22:

• Salons and barber shops can open

In the period to follow:

• Gyms and health clubs can open

Details: https://faq.business.nj.gov/en/articles/3820777-does-my-business-need-to-be-closed-restaurants-and-nonessential-retail-open-june-15-salons-and-barbershops-open-june-22

New as of 5.22.20

New Jersey Economic Development Authority has approved a $50M expansion of NJ’s Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program (Phase 2 funding).

Sample application can be found here.  Full application will be released by the NJEDA shortly.

New as of 5.21.20

Take NJ’s Official COVID-19 Impact Survey

The State of New Jersey is requesting your input to better understand how to assist you in reopening and get you back to work safely and productively. By filling out an online survey about your operations, you will provide valuable insights to inform the State’s reopening strategy, and guide the creation of products, services and assistance programs to be made available to businesses across the state.

Survey questions include inquiries about COVID-19’s impact on your operations, your business or nonprofit’s plans to return to work, and how the State and local governments can support you and your employees in the months ahead.

Complete the COVID-19 Reopening/Recovery Survey to share more about how COVID-19 has impacted your operations and let New Jersey know how to best help you move forward. Please do not delay—the earlier you respond, the more you will guide the recovery process.

New as of 5.18.2020

Governor Murphy outlined six key principles and benchmarks to guide the process for restoring New Jersey’s economic health by ensuring public health.

News as of 5.13.2020

Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Permitting Resumption of Non-Essential Construction, Curbside Pickup at Non-Essential Retail Businesses, and Gatherings in Cars (EO 142)

At his daily COVID-19 Briefing this afternoon, Governor Phil Murphy announced that “non-essential” construction will be permitted to resume on Monday, May 18 (6:00AM) and non-essential businesses will be able to open for curbside pickup only. These are among the first steps New Jersey is taking to re-open sectors of our economy:

• Easing restrictions on non-essential construction, subject to social distancing and mitigation protocols, will take effect on 6:00 a.m. on Monday, May 18, and includes all types of construction previously shut down via Executive Order 122.
• Curbside pick-up is permitted starting at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, May 18 for all non-essential retail establishments previously closed via Executive Order 107 and is available via both vehicle and on foot.
• Vehicle gatherings are permitted effective immediately, subject to certain social distancing requirements. This includes drive-in or drive-through events such as movie theaters, church services, and farms.

Paycheck Protection Program Update

US Treasury issues updated FAQ for Paycheck Protection Program

Source: treasury.gov

News as of 5.6.2020

Governor Murphy Signs Executive Order Extending Public Health Emergency in New Jersey (EO 138)

TRENTON – Governor Phil Murphy today signed Executive Order No. 138 which extends the Public Health Emergency declared on March 9, 2020 through Executive Order No. 103 and extended on April 7 through Executive Order No. 119. Under the Emergency Health Powers Act, a declared public health emergency expires after 30 days unless renewed.

“Extending this declaration ensures that we can continue using every resource at our disposal to mitigate the spread of COVID-19,” said Governor Murphy. “But I want to ensure that this extension is not interpreted to mean that we are reconsidering our path forward or changing course on the principles I laid out last week in the Road Back plan. We will continue to stand by these principles and protect public health as we responsibly take steps to get the economy moving again.”

Executive Order No. 138 extends all Executive Orders issued under the Governor’s authority under the Emergency Health Powers Act. It also extends all

Visit the Town of Morristown’s website for municipal closures and updates.

Morristown Department of Public Safety & Morristown Bureau of Police Online Reporting

If you wish to contact Morristown Bureau of Police for an emergency, a crime in progress, or anything that involves an injury, DO NOT USE THIS FORM.

Dial 9-1-1

Here’s a list of applicable situations for online reporting:

• Criminal mischief
• Harassment
• Lost Property
• Theft of Property
• Fraud / Credit Card / Financial Identity Theft
• Other non-emergent issues

If you’re not sure whether or not to use online reporting, call 973-538-2200 and MPD can help you determine the best option.

Curbside Pick-up Spaces 

CDC WEBSITE

The ‘You can help!’ page on our website is an additional way for the Morristown Partnership to support downtown businesses in these uncertain times. Morristown Partnership will continue to serve as an advocate and resource to our business community by sharing your most current information. By filling out the form below we will add your information to the landing page on our website and use this content to keep our community up-to-date.

Submissions will be posted on the website as they are received and in the order that they are received.

Businesses That May Be Open

Mitigation protocols required for operating businesses

Source: faq.business.nj.gov

All retail businesses not considered “essential” must be closed. Delivery and online operations may continue. Non-essential retail stores may reopen for online or phone ordering and curbside pickup at 6 a.m. on Monday, May 18, 2020.

Non-essential construction projects are ceased, from Friday, April 10, 2020. Non-essential construction will be allowed to resume at 6:00 a.m. on Monday, May 18, 2020.

Source: irs.gov

Tax Day now July 15: Treasury, IRS extend filing deadline and federal tax payments regardless of amount owed

Source: NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development

NJDOL and the Coronavirus (COVID-19): What Employers & Businesses Should Know

The COVID-19 virus is impacting all of our daily routines, with many employers feeling especially vulnerable.

To ease your financial burden, we want you – particularly our small business owners – to know that financial relief will be available in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bipartisan federal legislation expected to be signed this week will provide small and mid-sized businesses with 100 percent compensation for providing two weeks of sick leave to employees, along with tax credits for providing up to three months of Paid Family Leave. New Jersey lawmakers are also working on providing robust relief to our valued business community.

We urge you to continue to pay your workers whether or not they are able to work. All but the largest employers will be fully reimbursed under the legislation, and employees who are not well or are caring for someone who is ill will have the peace of mind and financial security to stay home. Employees who continue to be paid are not eligible for Unemployment Insurance or other benefits.

The information below will be updated as our response to COVID-19 evolves, so please check back often.

Source: New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)

COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus Information for New Jersey Businesses

Emergency Assistance Eligibility Wizard
The COVID-19 outbreak is causing extraordinary disruption for companies and non-profits across the Garden State. The NJEDA wants to make it easy for organizations to understand what support programs are available to you to help stabilize your operations and get back on a pathway to growth.

This is a beta version of the Eligibility Wizard that focuses on newly announced State Emergency Assistance programs and the SBA disaster loan program. NJEDA will be updating it regularly as new federal, state, local, and philanthropic programs become available.

Before making any business decision, you should consult a professional who can advise you based on your individual situation.

• Protect yourself from scams. Be wary of information sources and application processes for grants and loans.
• Document everything.
• Check in with your staff. Make sure your team is doing well during this time.
• Keep any and all documents of canceled contracts and summary of hardships impacting your business.
• Talk to your property owner about your lease and rent payments.
• Talk to your bank about your loans and property mortgages.
• Talk to your accountant/payroll provider and obtain documentation for Government programs.
• Talk to you insurers about mid-term changes to your policy and special payment options.
• Talk to your suppliers about terms and ongoing distribution in your business sector.
• If you are closed, hold your USPS mail and forward FedEx and UPS.

STAY ENGAGED with your customers!!

Share the following on your website, email communications and social media pages:

What your business is doing (be specific)

• Relevant closings and business hour changes
• Information on continued and heightened protocol on sanitation efforts
• Team education details
• Updates as they relate to your workforce
• New procedures for your customers

How we can support each other right now!

• Collaborate with other businesses for package offers or customer incentives
• Leverage your sourcing for community needs like pantry or paper goods items
• If your business is unable to remain open, consider donation of unsold food items to our local food pantry
• Prepare frozen meal options for carry out
• Share social media pages, post images, reviews, give shout-outs to your business neighbors
• Encourage your teams, customers and clients to consider purchasing gift certificates to your favorite local shops, restaurants or businesses that rely heavily on foot traffic
• Plan a fall or summer team building event or party. This will help the bottom line of your neighbor businesses while they try to stay on their feet and recover
• Share business information with the general public through your networks
• Follow all CDC, state and local guidelines

Helpful Community Groups Supporting Local Businesses:

Submit your content and keep customers up-to-date with your business operations, online and in store.

Morristown Order Out Twice a Week Stimulus Plan

Morristown, NJ Community Forum

Serve it Forward

COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus Information for New Jersey Businesses

Source: State of New Jersey & New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA)

SBA Disaster Assistance in Response to the Coronavirus

New Jersey SBA District Office, 973-645-2434

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration 

Interim Guidance for Businesses and Employers

Community Development Block Grant Eligible Activities to Support Infectious Disease response 3 13 2020

Source: CDC

A selection of virtual information sessions for your business.

The Morris County Chamber of Commerce + Economic Development Corp. is hosting a series of webinars that share actionable advice for these uncertain times. These relevant, half-hour presentations are FREE for the greater Morris community so please share with your network.

COVID-19: How will my business survive?

Watch the Morristown Business Webinar Staying healthy is the first order of business during these challenging times. The second is insuring your business will survive. Join the Honorable Timothy Dougherty, Mayor of Morristown, Counsel Keith Krauss, and Associate Young-Ji Park of Genova Burns as they discuss the availability of funding programs from the NJEDA and two of the loan programs administered by the SBA pursuant to the CARES Act to assist your business. From entrepreneurial grants, to loans, to assistance with overhead, to forgivable loans, this presentation will walk you through these programs, and touch upon these two programs administered by the EDA and SBA For answers to additional questions, please contact Young-Ji Park or Keith Krauss.

Video courtesy of Genova Burns

Answers About CARES Act & EDA Initiatives from Rep. Sherrill, Senator Bucco & EDA’s Tim Sullivan

Get Answers About The CARES Act and NJ Economic Development Authority Initiatives

Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, NJ State Senator Anthony Bucco and NJEDA CEO Tim Sullivan will help unravel the complexities surrounding the recent initiatives created to support businesses and workers affected by the Coronavirus crisis.

Our goal is to demystify these programs and answer questions that have been raised by our members.  Moderated by Richard Levesque, Senior Vice President at MWWPR, our speakers will make opening remarks followed by questions submitted by the audience.

Survival Selling Even in the Toughest Times

Join us for a discussion about marketing led by Mike Blinder, Founder & President of The Blinder Group, publisher of Editor & Publisher Magazine, and author of Survival Selling Even in the Toughest Times.

During this 45-minute online workshop, learn from one of the nation’s leading media experts:

• How to market effectively in tough economic times & what messages work best in order to build a local brand, maintain a customer base & even increase market share.
• Secrets of gaining the best return on investment from any marketing, regardless if it is traditional media (like newspapers, radio & billboards) or digital (like Facebook & Google).
• Case studies on how businesses who market in economic downturns perform better than their competitors & surge during recovery.

Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (HR. 748)

The Federal Reserve has announced that it is establishing a Main Street Lending Program (Program) to support lending to small and medium-sized businesses that were in good financial standing before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Program will operate through two facilities: the Main Street New Loan Facility (MSNLF) and the Main Street Expanded Loan Facility (MSELF). Term sheets for each facility providing more information regarding eligibility and conditions can be found below on federalreserve.gov.

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act temporarily expands eligibility for SBA economic injury disaster loans (EIDL) and provides an emergency advance of up to $10,000 to small businesses and private non-profits harmed by COVID-19 within 3 days of applying for an SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL).  To access the advance, you first apply for an EIDL and then request the advance.

COVID-19 ECONOMIC INJURY DISASTER LOAN APPLICATION

EIDLs can be used to cover:

• Paid sick leave to employees unable to work due to the direct effect of COVID-19.
• Maintain payroll
• Increased costs due to supply chain disruption
• Rent or mortgage payments
• Repaying obligations that cannot be met due to revenue loss

Please visit SBA.gov/disaster for more information and to apply online.

New streamlined application for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) available at the link above.

The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. All loan terms will be the same for everyone.

Please check with your lender for the latest updates and how to apply.

Source: home.treasury.gov

PPP Factsheet

Source: www.sba.gov

Sample Paycheck Protection Program Application Form

NOTE: THIS IS NOT YOUR LENDER’S SPECIFIC APPLICATION

Please contact your lender (SBA Approved) for specific requirements to apply.

You can apply through any existing SBA 7(a) lender or through any federally insured depository institution, federally insured credit union, and Farm Credit System institution that is participating. Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans once they are approved and enrolled in the program. You should consult with your local lender as to whether it is participating in the program.

Lenders may begin processing loan applications as soon as April 3, 2020.

Source: NJ Department of Labor & Workforce Development

Due to concerns about the spread of coronavirus, all One-Stop locations statewide will be closed as of 11am on Wednesday, March 18.

For information and to submit an Unemployment Insurance claim online, visit myunemployment.nj.gov.

COVID-19 SCENARIOS

What information do I need to apply?

• Social Security Number or Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
• Pension information if you are receiving any pension or 401(k)
• Amount and duration of any separation pay you may be receiving
• Recall date (if you expect to be recalled to your job)
• Union hiring hall information, including local number and address (if you get work through a union)
• Military Form DD-214 (if you were in the military in the last 18 months)
• Form SF-8 or SF-50 (if you were a federal employee)
• Complete name and address of employer
• Employer’s telephone number
• Your occupation with that employer
• Beginning and ending dates of employment
• Reason for separation

En español

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) when it takes effect on April 1, 2020

Distribute this required notice by posting at your place of business and email to your employees.

Does not apply to furloughed employees.

New as of 4.28.20

New as of 4.27.20

New as of 4.24.20

New as of 4.23.20

SBA’s Coronavirus Relief Programs

New as of 4.20.20

MORRISTOWN PARKING AUTHORITY UPDATES

New as of 4.17.20

Governor Murphy’s Executive Orders
• Public Health Emergency has been extended by 30 days;
• All State Parks and Forests Closed;
• Non-essential construction across the state is ceased ;
• All customers and employees must wear face coverings at essential retail

Morristown Partnership launches programs to promote how the public can support businesses NOW

New as of 4.16.20

UPDATE: $349 billion Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP–the U.S. Small Business Administration announced it had exhausted its allotted funds.

New as of 4.10.20

Gov. Phil Murphy has signed Executive Order No. 123, extending grace periods during which certain insurance companies, including health insurers, life insurers, and property and casualty insurers, will not be able to cancel policies for nonpayment of premiums during the COVID-19 crisis.

New as of 4.9.20

Executive Order 122

Read full details of new regulations effective Friday, April 10 at 8:00 p.m.

New as of 4.8.20

Gov. Murphy announces additional business + construction restrictions.

The Governor’s pending Executive Order will take effect Friday, April 10.

This Executive Order will generally cover:

Closure of Non-Essential Construction
All non-essential construction across the state will cease, indefinitely, effective 8 p.m. Friday.

Exceptions to this shut-down include: projects at our hospitals and schools, in our transportation and utility sector, the building of affordable housing, other individual housing sites that can adhere to strict limits on the number of workers on-site at any given time, emergency repairs, and work needed to safely secure a construction site, and other limited instances.

New Guidelines for Essential Retail Stores

• All essential retail must indefinitely limit the number of customers in their stores to 50 percent of their approved capacity.
• Customers and employees must wear face coverings.
• Stores must provide special shopping hours for high-risk individuals, erect physical barriers between customers and cashiers and baggers where practicable, and regularly sanitize areas used by their employees.

New Guidelines for Warehouses and Manufacturing Facilities
The order will also put greater protections in place for the workers at our warehouses, and in manufacturing. No one should be working where social distancing isn’t being practiced to its fullest extent.

New as of 4.7.2020

NJEDA

In advance of the launch of the application for the NJEDA’s Small Business Emergency Assistance Loan Program on Monday, April 13, 2020, a .pdf version of the application is now available at COVID-19 Business Information Hub.  This will provide business owners the opportunity to prepare to apply for the loan. 

Information for businesses impacted by the coronavirus outbreak is available on the State’s COVID-19 Business Information Hub: https://cv.business.nj.gov.

The NJEDA has established a new toll-free number specifically for inquiries related to NJEDA’s Small Business Emergency Assistance programs. Please call 844-965-1125 to speak with a representative.

New as of 4.3.20

Reminders

NJEDA

New Jersey Economic Development Authority Announces Application Launch Date for Loan Program for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19: Monday, April 13, 2020 at 9:00 am.

Apply now to the NJEDA Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant at: forms.business.nj.gov/grant [UPDATE 4.3.2020 : Due to high demand, this funding is exhausted, but submitting your application will ensure that if additional funds become available for this round of Grant funding, you may be eligible]

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

Businesses will need to apply for the SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) through an SBA approved lender.

It is recommended you begin this process at your current bank or lender. Login may be required to access applications when they are available.

Morristown Area Banks CARES Act Information and Links

New as of 4.1.20

Paycheck Protection Program (PPP)

The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) authorizes up to $349 billion in forgivable loans to small businesses to pay their employees during the COVID-19 crisis. All loan terms will be the same for everyone.

• Starting April 3, 2020, small businesses and sole proprietorships can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing SBA lenders.
• Starting April 10, 2020, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing SBA lenders.
• Other regulated lenders will be available to make these loans as soon as they are approved and enrolled in the program

In preparation for the program,  gather the following information about your business:

1. 2019 Payroll — including the last 12 months of payroll
2. 2019 Employees — 1099’s for 2019 employees and independent contractors that would otherwise be an employee of your business. (Note: Do NOT include 1099’s for services)
3. Healthcare costs — all health insurance premiums paid by the business owner under a group health plan
4. Retirement — your company retirement plan funding paid for by the company

Please check with your lender for the latest updates and how to apply.

Source: home.treasury.gov

PPP Factsheet

New as of 3.31.20

NJEDA Announces Application Launch Date for Grants for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
First of Several Programs Designed to Support Businesses Facing COVID-Related Economic Challenges

NJEDA Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant (Applications open April 3 at 9 a.m.)

Notice of Funding Availability: Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program

View Grant Sample Grant Application

New as of 3.29.20

The Small Business Owners Guide to the CARES Act

New as of 3.27.20

Social Distancing Guide for Essential Retail

New as of 3.26.20

NJEDA Announces New Initiatives to Support Businesses Impacted by COVID-19 

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board today approved a suite of new programs designed to support businesses and workers facing economic hardship due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

The package of initiatives includes a grant program for small businesses, a zero-interest loan program for mid-size companies, support for private-sector lenders and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), funding for entrepreneurs, and a variety of resources providing technical support and marketplace information. Taken together, they will provide more than $75 million of State and private financial support, with the opportunity to grow to more than $100 million if additional philanthropic, State, and federal resources become available. The initiatives will support between 3,000 and 5,000 small and midsize enterprises and are meant to complement recently announced federal economic recovery initiatives.

More information about the programs is available here: https://cv.business.nj.gov.

Program summary sheet under ‘Business Resources’ on this page.

New as of 3.23.20

Please note that per Executive Order 109, many organizations are required to inventory their equipment by March 27, 5 pm.

Executive Order 109 provides that any business, non-hospital health care facility, or institution of higher learning in possession of PPE, ventilators, respirators, or anesthesia machines not required for the provision of critical health care services shall undertake an inventory of these supplies.

Personal Protective and Medical Equipment Intake Forms

New as of 3.21.20

Source: EXECUTIVE ORDER 107 and EXECUTIVE ORDER 108. 

No social gathering. Practice social distancing.

Any essential retail business whose brick-and-mortar premises remain open to the public shall abide by social distancing practices to the extent practicable while providing essential services. These include all reasonable efforts to keep customers six feet apart and frequent use of sanitizing products on common surfaces.

Executive Order 107
Governor Murphy directs all residents to stay at home until further notice.

Guidelines from EO

EXAMPLES OF ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES

• Grocery stores, farmer’s markets and farms that sell directly to customers, and other food stores, including retailers that offer a varied assortment of foods comparable to what exists at a grocery store
• Pharmacies and alternative treatment centers that dispense medicinal marijuana
• Medical supply stores
• Retail functions of gas stations
• Convenience stores
• Ancillary stores within healthcare facilities
• Hardware and home improvement stores
• Retail functions of banks and other financial institutions
• Retail functions of laundromats and dry-cleaning services
• Stores that principally sell supplies for children under five years old
• Pet stores
• Liquor stores
• Car dealerships, but only to provide auto maintenance and repair services, and auto mechanics
• Retail functions of printing and office supply shops
• Retail functions of mail and delivery stores

Amended 3.24.20 to include:

• Mobile phone retail and repair shops
• Bicycle shops, but only to provide service and repair
• Livestock feed stores
• Nurseries and garden centers
• Farming equipment stores

All other businesses and mandatory closures  remain in effect (See page 8 – Paragraph 9 of EO 107 linked above)

REMINDERS FOR FOOD/LIQUOR BUSINESSES

All restaurants, cafeterias, dining establishments, and food courts, with or without a liquor license, all bars, and all other holders of a liquor license with retail consumption privileges, are permitted to operate their normal business hours, but are limited to offering only food delivery and/or take-out services in accordance with their existing liquor licenses.

• Guidance from the ABC

REMINDERS FOR ALL OTHER BUSINESSES
All businesses or non-profits in the State, whether closed or open to the public, must accommodate their workforce, wherever practicable, for telework or work-from-home arrangements.

To the extent a business or non-profit has employees that cannot perform their functions via telework or work-from-home arrangements, the business or non-profit should make best efforts to reduce staff on site to the minimal number necessary to ensure that essential operations can continue.

Examples of employees who need to be physically present at their work site in order to perform their duties include, but are not limited to:

• Law enforcement officers, fire fighters, and other first responders
• Cashiers or store clerks
• Construction workers
• Utility workers
• Repair workers
• Warehouse workers
• Lab researchers
• Information technology maintenance workers
• Janitorial and custodial staff
• Certain administrative staff

OTHER IMPORTANT INDUSTRY SPECIFIC PROVISIONS

Nothing in this Order shall be construed to limit, prohibit, or restrict in any way:

• Provision of health care or medical services to members of the public
• Access to essential services for low-income residents, including but not limited to food banks
• Operations of newspapers, television, radio, and other media services
• Operations of law enforcement agencies

Press release from the Mayor’s office and the Atlantic Health System

Press release – March 25, 2020

Health care providers are on the front lines of the current global COVID-19 crisis. We are fortunate to have local heroes working tirelessly to care for our friends and neighbors in the Morristown community.

We are pleased to announce that a plan has been developed to rally together and support these extraordinary caregivers. With this goal in mind, the Mayor’s office has created the Serve it Forward program to help provide sustenance to front line health care professionals at Atlantic Health System.

Using Serve it Forward, you can purchase gift cards from our local restaurants for donation. In turn, Atlantic Health System’s Morristown Medical Center will distribute the cards to hospital workers such as doctors, nurses, and other team members.

As a simultaneous benefit, Serve it Forward will help support our local food establishments and their employees by infusing much needed revenue into the community.

Depending on the restaurant, you can purchase gift cards for Serve it Forward online or by phone.

For more information on the Serve it Forward program go to www.serveitforward.today

For additional information, please contact David Walters at dwalters@smartworldcoffee.com

Thank you for participating in Serve it Forward and supporting our local health care professionals as they help us through this unprecedented crisis.

Source: Atlantic Health System

LINK: Atlantic Health System Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information and Hospital Updates

For Your Health & Safety – No Hospital Visitors Are Allowed

Atlantic Health System Coronavirus Assessment Tool

Given the rise of Novel Coronavirus (now called COVID-19) as a global health concern, we want to assure our patients and communities that we are working closely with local, state and federal public health agencies, as well as our own health care professionals, to ensure that Atlantic Health System is prepared.

As always, Atlantic Health System’s top priority is the safety of our patients, communities and health care professionals. Our expert clinicians regularly care for patients with severe respiratory illnesses and other infectious diseases. They are well trained and follow specific procedures using the tools and techniques in place to protect themselves, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE). We are drawing on this experience as we continue to prepare and address key issues, including the early recognition and isolation of any patient identified as being potentially at risk for COVID-19. Evaluation of this risk is based on criteria from the CDC, with testing for COVID-19 determined on a case-by-case basis by state and local health officials.

We remind all members of our community that there are everyday preventative actions they can take to help limit the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19 and flu.

A few common measures the CDC advises for the general public include:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub for at least 20 seconds
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth
• Avoid close contact (6 feet) with people who appear to have a respiratory infection
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe

It is also important that if you are having symptoms, please call ahead of your visit to the doctor to communicate travel history and symptoms before arriving, enabling the provider to determine the best setting for you to receive care.

Finally, it is critical that our communities know where to obtain the most accurate and current information from credible sources. The New Jersey Department of Health has a 24-hour hotline at 1-800-222-1222, where trained healthcare professionals are standing by to answer questions about COVID-19. The CDC and NIH are also excellent sources for the latest information.

We will continue to provide our community with updates as conditions evolve.

Source: Morris County Freeholders

LINK: County of Morris Website

AlertMorris will allow you to get emergency notifications in any manner you choose, including phone, email, text, or social media, so you can stay informed during major storms or other emergencies taking place throughout Morris County. Morris County’s social media alert accounts on Facebook and Twitter, @MCUrgent, also have changed their names to @AlertMorris.

• Morris County is working with health and medical professionals to take extra precautions at county government facilities, including the Correctional Facility, Juvenile Detention Center, Youth Shelter, and 9-1-1 Communications Center;

• The Morris County Sheriff’s Office is working in partnership with the Morris County OEM to support all operational activities.

• The Morris County Communications (9-1-1) Center has implemented call screening tools for emergency medical calls to identify potential COVID-19 cases at the time of dispatch, so first responders can be aware of relevant information and take appropriate precautions;

• The Morris County OEM will maintain additional levels of response equipment for use by schools or healthcare facilities.

• Morris County OEM’s Mobile Ambulance Bus will have added equipment on board capable of assessing large numbers of patients in connection with COVID-19, if needed.

• County OEM is encouraging EMS responders, physicians, and healthcare facilities operators to make early notifications to hospitals, allowing hospitals to be prepared for patient admission prior to arrival.

In addition, county OEM officials urge residents not to be alarmed if they see first responders wearing high levels of protective gear, such as masks, hoods, suits and respirators. Out of an abundance of caution, they may wear this gear for the safety of the patient and fellow responders.

The following are tips provided by the Morris County Office of Health Management (consistent with CDC recommendations) to protect yourself and others from respiratory infections, including the coronavirus (COVID-19):

• Stay home if you are sick;
• Limit close contact with people who are sick;
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth;
• Avoid handshakes. Try an elbow bump;
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds;
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol;
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces;
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. If you do not have a tissue, use your sleeve (not your hands);
• Get a flu shot to prevent the flu if you have not done so this season.

Residents are asked to avoid rumors and some less-than-accurate reports about this virus. Keep informed by obtaining information from trusted and reliable sources, including the CDC, NJDOH, and their local health departments:

CDC’s COVID-19 website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/index.html

N.J. Department of Health COVID-19 website:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/ncov.shtml

NJ COVID-19 Information Public Call Center: 1-800-222-1222.

For your local health department, call you town hall or visit your municipal website:

https://morriscountynj.gov/about/municipalities/.