On May 1, 2020, Governor Sununu mandated operational requirements for “essential businesses,” businesses that had been identified and permitted to remain open under a March 26, 2020, Covid-19 order, including restaurants (but only for take-out and delivery).
On May 1, the Governor ordered “essential businesses,” including restaurants, to:
- require sick employees to stay home
- ask employees questions prior to entry, regarding contact with COVID-diagnosed persons and COVID symptoms
- Sanitize touch surfaces every two hours
- Instruct employees to “social distance”
- Encourage frequent hand washing/sanitation
- Support employee use of a face covering
- Permit employees to work from home as much as is practical
- Update employee policies, to comply with new federal laws that provide for employee leave time, for COVID-related reasons.
The May 1 order also mandated restaurant-specific, additional operational requirements for restaurants.
For example, restaurants must:
- Train staff and require them to follow “Serv safe” Covid-19 Guidelines
- Build social distancing into foodservice operations
- Mandate that employees wear masks or other face covering, when “at work and around others in settings where social distancing may be difficult”
- Permit on-site dining, outdoors only
- Set tables (no bar seating) six-feet apart
- Limit party size to no more than 6
- Require reservations, with text table-ready system
- Ask customers to bring a face mask, for entering/exiting outdoor space and for visits to the restroom.
These guidelines are effective until June 15, 2020, and may be modified thereafter. If you have questions regarding Covid-19 requirements for your restaurant workplace, please contact our office for a free consultation. Call 1-800-240-1988 or fill out our online contact form.