New Jersey Governor Signs Executive Order 192 Requiring New Jersey Employers to Implement Mandatory COVID-19 Safety Protocols

On October 28, 2020, Governor Phil Murphy signed Executive Order 192 (“EO 192”), which requires employers to implement certain safety measures in order to protect employees, customers and others against exposure to COVID-19. The safety measures outlined in EO 192 align with the guidance provided by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, state and federal Departments of Health, and prior Executive Orders since the start of the pandemic. Below is an overview of the safety measures required under EO 192 that applies to every employer in New Jersey that requires or allows its workforce to be physically present at the worksite:

• Individuals at the worksite must maintain at least six feet of distance from one another to the maximum extent possible
• Employers must require employees, customers, visitors and anyone else entering the worksite to wear masks with few exceptions
• Employers must provide masks to employees at the employer’s expense
• Employers must provide hand sanitizer wipes at the employer’s expense
• Employers must ensure that employees practice regular hand hygiene
• Employers must routinely clean and disinfect in compliance with CDC guidelines
• Employers must conduct daily health checks of employees

Employers must implement the required safety measures by November 5, 2020 – the effective date of EO 192.

A copy of EO 192 can be found here.

For more information, please contact a Stevens & Lee attorney.