Reopen Business Guidance

PENNSYLVANIA PHASED REOPENING

Pennsylvania plans to proceed with returning to work cautiously. Broad reopenings or reopenings that are not structured around ongoing social distancing, universal masking, or other public health guidance would likely result in a spike of cases and new stay-at-home and closure orders.

Throughout this process, we will have guidance in place to support best public health practices. This guidance will reinforce and build on existing worker and building safety orders. It will also be able to adapt to the changing nature of the pandemic, as well as lessons learned from communities that return to work strategically.

Pennsylvania will utilize a three-phase matrix to determine when counties and/or regions are ready to begin easing some restrictions on work, congregate settings, and social interactions. See the full plan for reopening Pennsylvania.

Red Phase

The red phase has the sole purpose of minimizing the spread of COVID-19 through strict social distancing, non-life sustaining business, school closures, and building safety protocols.

WORK & CONGREGATE SETTING RESTRICTIONS

Life Sustaining Businesses Only
Congregate Care and Prison Restrictions in Place
Schools (for in-person instruction) and Most Child Care Facilities Closed

SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS

Stay at Home Orders in Place
Large Gatherings Prohibited
Restaurants and Bars Limited to Carry-Out and Delivery Only
Only Travel for Life-Sustaining Purposes Encouraged

Reiterate and reinforce safety guidance for businesses, workers, individuals, facilities, update if necessary
Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

Yellow Phase

As regions or counties move into the yellow phase, some restrictions on work and social interaction will ease while others, such as closures of schools, gyms, and other indoor recreation centers, hair and nail salons, as well as limitations around large gatherings, remain in place.

This purpose of this phase is to begin to power back up the economy while keeping a close eye on the public health data to ensure the spread of disease remains contained to the greatest extent possible.

WORK & CONGREGATE SETTING RESTRICTIONS

Telework Must Continue Where Feasible
Businesses with In-Person Operations Must Follow Business and Building Safety Orders
Child Care Open Complying with Guidance
Congregate Care and Prison Restrictions in Place
Schools Remain Closed for In-Person Instruction

SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS

Stay at Home Order Lifted for Aggressive Mitigation
Large Gatherings of More Than 25 Prohibited
In-Person Retail Allowable, Curbside and Delivery Preferable
Indoor Recreation, Health and Wellness Facilities and Personal Care Services (such as gyms, spas, hair salons, nail salons and other entities that provide massage therapy), and all Entertainment (such as casinos, theaters) Remain Closed
Restaurants and Bars Limited to Carry-Out and Delivery Only

All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning
Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

Green Phase

After a county transitions to the yellow phase, we will closely monitor for increased risk, such as significant outbreaks. If overall risk remains mitigated for fourteen days, we will transition the county to the green phase.

The green phase eases most restrictions by lifting the stay at home and business closure orders to allow the economy to strategically reopen while continuing to prioritize public health.

While this phase will facilitate a return to a “new normal,” it will be equally important to continue to monitor public health indicators and adjust orders and restrictions as necessary to ensure the spread of disease remains at a minimum.

WORK & CONGREGATE SETTING RESTRICTIONS

Continued Telework Strongly Encouraged
Businesses with In-Person Operations Must Follow Updated Business and Building Safety Requirements
All Businesses Operating at 50% Occupancy in the Yellow Phase May Increase to 75% Occupancy
Child Care May Open Complying with Guidance
Congregate Care Restrictions in Place
Prison and Hospital Restrictions Determined by Individual Facilities
Schools Subject to CDC and Commonwealth Guidance

SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS

Large Recreational Gatherings Remain Restricted
Restaurants and Bars Open at 50% Occupancy
Personal Care Services (including hair salons and barbershops) Open at 50% Occupancy and by Appointment Only
Indoor Recreation, Health and Wellness Facilities, and Personal Care Services (such as gyms and spas) Open at 50% Occupancy with Appointments Strongly Encouraged
All Entertainment (such as casinos, theaters, and shopping malls) Open at 50% Occupancy
Construction Activity May Return to Full Capacity with Continued Implementation of Protocols

All businesses must follow CDC and DOH guidance for social distancing and cleaning
Monitor public health indicators, adjust orders and restrictions as necessary

U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Resources available from our colleagues at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

As America’s businesses look to reopen safely and keep employees and customers healthy and informed, employers are facing countless new questions and unprecedented new challenges.

As part of our Path Forward initiative, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Digital Resources Center provides the latest state-by-state guidelines, sector-specific guidance, small business advice, and other tools and resources to help employers and employees return to work safely and successfully. Please visit U.S. Chamber of Commerce regularly for updates to our tools and resources as new information becomes available.

Please visit these links for specific materials, resources and guidance.

State-Specific Guidance | Sector-Specific Guidance | Small Business-Specific Guidance
Additional Tools and Resources | Path Forward Webinar Series

These are guidance references and considered reliable information however the reader is cautioned to know their specific State Pandemic Requirements, Health Department Pandemic Regulations, and local requirements for reopening. These may not always well defined by State Government as communities remain in Red Phase, and move to Yellow and Green Phases.

Here are sector-specific guidance from some of the leading industry associations and government sources:

For restaurants:

CDC's Reopening Decision Tree for Restaurants and Bars

National Restaurant Association’s Reopening Guidance

For retailers:

National Retail Federation’s Operation Open Doors

For home service providers:

AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for At-Home Service Providers

For construction businesses:

AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for Construction Environments

For gyms and fitness facilities:

AIHA’s Reopening Guidance for Gyms and Workout Facilities