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REOPENING CONNECTICUT: THE STATE’S GUIDELINES FOR PHASE 2

On June 7, 2020, Governor Ned Lamont released new details about the rules that businesses planning to reopen during Phase 2 will have to follow.  The new information includes specific rules that eligible businesses must follow amid the COVID-19 pandemic.  Phase 2 reopening is set to take effect Wednesday, June 17th. 

Businesses that are allowed to reopen in Phase 2 include:

  • Amusement parks
  • Hotels
  • Indoor Dining
  • Indoor museums, zoos and aquariums
  • Indoor recreation including bowling, movie theaters, etc.
  • Libraries
  • Outdoor events
  • Personal services including nail salons, tattoo parlors, etc.
  • Sports and fitness facilities including gyms, fitness centers, pools, etc.

According to Governor Lamont, the decision to reopen during Phase 2 rests with each individual business owner, but the respective business owners who decide to reopen must follow the prescribed rules.  The rules for Phase 2 reopening include detailed information about social distancing, facility capacity, hygiene, sanitizing, signage, personal protective equipment, scheduling, training and more. 

The full set of rules can be found here:

https://portal.ct.gov/DECD/Content/Coronavirus-Business-Recovery/Sector-Rules-and-Certification-for-Reopen

Additionally, starting Monday June 8th, businesses and non-profits who intend to reopen during Phase 2 on June 17th will need to certify that they are compliant with the reopening rules via the state’s self certification website (https://business.ct.gov/recovery)

The industry specific guidelines for each business sector can be reviewed in their entirety by clicking the link below for each specific industry:

Some key takeaways from the industry specific guidelines are as follows:

  • Under Phase 2 restaurants can have a maximum indoor capacity of 50 percent of their normal indoor dining capacity. Outdoor dining is encouraged so long as the restaurant does not exceed its regular operating capacity and social distancing can still be maintained.
  • Included in the guidance for sports clubs, fitness centers, gyms and pools, is a capacity limit of 50 percent. Equipment layout should be adjusted to maintain at least 6 to 12 feet of distance depending on whether patrons are wearing masks.  Athletes, coaches and patrons are required to bring their own water bottles.  In locker rooms, ever other or every third locker must be marked off for non-use to enforce social distancing. 

According to Governor Lamont around 95 percent of Connecticut’s economy will be opened in Phase 2.  Governor Lamont also stated a third phase would possibly include the reopening of bars and large indoor events.  No date has been set for a “Phase 3” but it has been approximately 30 days between Phase 1 and Phase 2.

For further information on the implications of COVID-19 on business, employment or education law related questions, please contact Christopher L. Brigham, at (203) 786-8310 or cbrigham@uks.com, Andrew L. Houlding at (203) 786-8315 or ahoulding@uks.com, Valerie M. Ferdon at (860) 548-2607 or vferdon@uks.com, or Jeffrey E. Renaud at (860) 548-2629 or jrenaud@uks.com

For further information on the implications of COVID-19 on the restaurant and hospitality industry, or other restaurant and hospitality related questions, please contact John A. Acampora, at (203) 467-7337 or jacampora@uks.com, or Robert G. Pethick at (203) 786-8328 or rpethick@uks.com.

Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, PC would like to thank Robert G. Pethick, Esq. for his contributions to this article.

Disclaimer: The information continued in this material is not intended to be considered legal advice and should not be acted upon as such. Because of the generality of this material, the information provided may not be applicable in all situations and should not be acted upon without legal advice based on the specific factual circumstances.