Public Health Madison & Dane County (PHMDC) has issued a new public health order, Emergency Order #14, effective March 10, 2021. The new order includes significant changes to the indoor and outdoor capacity limits for gatherings, restaurants, taverns, and sporting events. The order also modifies the protective measure policy required for schools. The primary changes are summarized below and are outlined in PHMDC’s summary of Emergency Order #14.
Gatherings
- As a reminder, gatherings include exercise classes, meetings, conferences, trainings, sporting events, parties, and other planned events.
- Indoor gatherings with food or drink are permitted with up to 150 individuals. Indoor gatherings without food or drink are permitted with up to 350 individuals.
- Outdoor gatherings with or without food or drink are permitted with up to 500 individuals.
- The capacity limits for indoor and outdoor gatherings do not include employees.
- Individuals must maintain 6 feet physical distancing at indoor and outdoor gatherings.
Sports
- All sports must follow the gathering limitations outlined above.
Indoor Capacity Limits at Restaurants and Taverns
- Indoor capacity at restaurants and other dining facilities is increased to 50% of approved seating capacity.
- Indoor capacity at taverns is increased to 25% of approved seating capacity.
- Tables and chairs must still be spaced so that 6 feet physical distancing can be maintained between customers who are not members of the same household.
Mandatory School Policies
- Schools may need to modify their required protective measure policy and procedure. Under the new order, the protective measure policy and procedure must:
- Ensure employees are provided with and wear face coverings as required under the general face coverings requirements in the emergency order.
- Ensure employees maintain 6 feet distancing at all times to the extent possible.
- When 6 feet distancing is not possible for students, ensure that students and employee groupings are as static as possible. Mixing between groups must be restricted as much as possible.
- Commons areas such as cafeterias, auditoriums, and gyms can be used as classrooms, to provide food, as childcare and youth settings, and for government functions. Student grouping should be in distinct spaces. Student groupings may not mix with other student groupings.
- Schools must document employee receipt, acknowledgment, or training on any revised protective measure policy.
- The requirements for the hygiene policy and procedure and the cleaning policy and procedure have not changed.
The other requirements from previous PHMDC emergency orders, including face coverings, remain in place. You can find Lake Effect’s summaries of the previous orders here.
Lake Effect is here to answer your questions about how local and state public health orders apply to employers. We continue to monitor important legal and HR developments, as well as COVID-related updates from federal, state, and local authorities. Please keep watching our blogs and emails for these important updates, as well as discussions of how compliance meets culture. To dive into these issues, contact us at info@le-hrlaw.com or 1-844-333-5253.
