On Sunday, March 22, Colorado Governor Jared Polis declared an order that requires non-critical workplaces in Colorado to reduce their in-person workforce by 50% because of COVID-19. The Governor appears to be making an assumption that half of Colorado’s “non-critical” workforce can work from home… or else must be be furloughed?
The order is temporary and takes effect this morning, Tuesday, March 24 at 8am and will last through April 10.
“If workplaces can convert to 100% telecommuting, I encourage them to do that,” he said during a Sunday news conference. He also referred to the number of employees working in state government.
“As an employer of over 30,000 Coloradans, as of tomorrow, we are going to have more than 50% of our non-24 hour employees working from home.”
Exceptions to the governor’s order include employers who can certify their employees are no closer than 6 feet from each other during work hours.
You can download the order here.
The order does not apply to critical businesses that “provide goods and services critical to our response to the COVID-19 epidemic emergency,” which includes “emergency personnel and infrastructure necessary to ensure continuity of critical healthcare, government functions, public safety, manufacturing, and supply chain operations; and authorized businesses exempt from this Executive Order.”
If, however, you read the Public Health Order also released on March 22, you might come to the conclusion that nearly every kind of Colorado business and government agency — other than entertainment and tourism — is considered “critical.” (Even news media is considered critical!)
You can download that Public Health Order here.20PublicHealth-Authorized Business
The governor urged voluntary compliance.
“If we don’t abide by these simple, common sense protocols, you will be jeopardizing lives,” he claimed.
“Shop once a week for groceries instead of twice. If you’re accustomed to jogging three or four times a week, jog once or twice a week. Try jogging in a different hour when [fewer] people are out.”
The governor mentioned new partnerships with private companies in Colorado that will hopefully lead to the increased manufacturing of COVID-19 tests, face shields, and hand sanitizer.
“This is the sort of patriotic response that we need across the public and private sector for Colorado to mount a response to this virus that saves lives.”
29 of Colorado’s 64 counties have announced confirmed COVID-19 cases as of yesterday.