Safeguards to Protect Michigan’s Workers from COVID-19

(E0 2020-97)

Executive Order 2020-97 outlines safeguards for workers who perform in-person work. There is no expiration date on this order. Below is a summary of the requirements that apply to all businesses as well as those specific to office environments. Businesses that violate the rules in the order are in violation of MIOSHA, which may include substantial fines and imprisonment.  

You are encouraged to consult legal counsel before implementing policies and procedures to comply with this Executive Order. 

General Requirements. All businesses that require employees to leave their homes to work, must:  

  1. Develop a COVID-19 preparedness and response plan and make such plan available to employees, labor unions, and customers.  

  2. Designate supervisor(s) to oversee and enforce the business’s COVID-19 preparedness and response plan.  

  3. Provide COVID-19 training to employees and maintain records of such training.  

  4. Conduct daily entry self-screening protocol for employees and contractors entering the workplace and maintain records of such screening.   

  5. Keep everyone on the premises at least six  (6) feet apart to the extent possible.  

  6. Provide face coverings to employees.  

  7. Require face coverings be worn when employees cannot maintain six (6) feet of separation.  

  8. Increase facility cleaning and disinfection.  

  9. Adopt protocols to clean and disinfect the facility in the event of a positive COVID-19 case in the facility.  

  10. Make cleaning supplies available and permit time for employees to frequently wash hands.  

  11. If an employee is identified with a confirmed case of COVID-19, the employer must notify the local public health department and individuals who may have come in contact with the COVID-19 positive individual. The employer must maintain records of such reports and notifications.  

  12. Do not retaliate against employees who stay home or leave work when they are at a risk of infecting others with COVID-19. (See Executive Order 2020-36).  

  13. Establish a response plan for dealing with a confirmed infection in the workplace.  

  14. Restrict business-related travel for employees to essential travel only.  

  15. Encourage employees to use PPE and sanitizer if they use public transportation.  

  16. Promote remote work to the fullest extent possible.  

  17. Adopt any additional infection control-measures that are reasonable considering the work performed at the worksite.  

Office-Specific Requirements. All business that require employees to leave their homes to work in an office must:  

  1. Assign dedicated entry point(s) for employees to reduce congestion at the main entrance. 

  2. Provide visual indicators of appropriate spacing for employees outside the building in case of congestion. 

  3. Take steps to reduce entry congestion (e.g. stagger start times, rotate schedules to reduce the number of employees present at a particular time). 

  4. Require face coverings in shared spaces.  

  5. Increase distancing between employees by spreading out workspaces, staggering workspace usage, restricting non-essential common spaces, and providing visual cues to guide movement and activity.  

  6. Turn off water fountains. 

  7. Prohibit social gatherings and meetings that do not allow for social distancing or that create unnecessary movement throughout the office. 

  8. Provide disinfecting supplies and require employees to wipe down their workstations at least twice per day.  

  9. Post signs about the importance of personal hygiene.  

  10. Disinfect high-touch surfaces in office. 

  11. Institute cleaning and communications protocols when employees are sent home with symptoms.  

  12. Notify employees if the employer learns that an individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19 has visited the office.  

  13. Suspend all nonessential visitors.  

  14. Restrict non-essential travel, including in-person conference events.