Governor Tim Walz has extended Minnesota’s stay-at-home order until May 3, 2020 at 11:59pm. His original order was scheduled to expire this Friday, April 10th. Many of the features of the original order remain in place, including allowing essential activities such as obtaining groceries, food, gasoline, supplies to work from home, healthcare, safety, sanitation, and exercise.
Businesses classified as critical sectors may also continue to operate. Critical sectors include:
- Healthcare and public health,
- law enforcement and first responders, food and agriculture,
- energy, water and wastewater,
- transportation and logistics,
- public works and infrastructure support services,
- communications and information technology,
- government operations,
- critical manufacturing, hazardous materials,
- financial services,
- chemical,
- defense industrial base,
- commercial facilities/essential supply stores,
- residential/shelter facilities,
- laundry and hygiene products,
- tribal governments,
- the judicial, legislative, and executive government branches,
- federal employees,
- the national guard,
- faith leaders/workers,
- education,
- construction,
- child care providers,
- hotels/residential facilities and shelters,
- legal services,
- notaries,
- animal care and veterinarians, and
- real estate transactions.
Some restrictions on businesses have been lifted or further clarified under the new Executive Order. For example, the Order clarifies that all businesses (whether Critical Sector or not) may engage in minimum basic operations needed to preserve and protect items like inventory, equipment, business offices and facilities, payroll, facilitate remote work, and similar functions. The order also clarifies that notaries and process servers/legal couriers are permitted to operate, as well as vet and dog daycare/boarding facilities (but not dog grooming).
Virtus Law, PLLC continues to monitor developments in this (and other COVID-19 areas) and will continue to post relevant updates to this website.