PA Chamber Update: Governor's Emergency Order to Close “Non-Life-Sustaining” Businesses
UPDATE 3/30/2020: You can now find all of our COVID-19 information and updates on our new page, here.
UPDATE 3/21/20
Yesterday evening, the Wolf administration issued updated guidelines related to the governor's order for all "non-life-sustaining businesses" in the Commonwealth to close their physical locations. The updated guidelines can be found here. This updated guidance from the administration aligns with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency advisory that was released on March 19. Enforcement actions against businesses that don't comply with the governor's order are now slated to begin at 8 a.m. on Monday, March 23 (the administration also announced it is delaying the start of the enforcement process by two days).
We understand there is considerable confusion among the state's business community regarding whether or not they are considered to be a "life-sustaining" business. We encourage employers to review the administration's updated guidelines in conjunction with the CISA guidelines. If there are still questions about whether their organization needs to close, they should contact the Department of Community and Economic Development at ra-dcedcs@pa.gov. Businesses can apply for a waiver to the order via DCED's website. The administration has also developed a FAQ for businesses with questions about the governor's order.
As an advocate for Hanover businesses, The Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce will continue to share information that will impact our local business community. Please don't hesitate to reach out to our office with questions, concerns, or feedback on this crisis at (717) 637-6130 or office@hanoverchamber.com. In addition, please visit our website, as new information will be posted there as well.
Late yesterday, Gov. Tom Wolf issued an order for all “non-life-sustaining businesses” in the Commonwealth to close their physical locations. A list of businesses and industries and their classification can be found here. That order was effective at 8 p.m. last evening with enforcement slated to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, March 21. At the same time, the governor announced enforcement actions against food and liquor establishments that have failed to comply with a previous order. That enforcement began at 8 p.m. last night (March 19). PA Chamber of Business and Industry President and CEO Gene Barr issued the following statement regarding the governor’s order.
“While we understand the need for strong measures to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus, many of the industries listed as “non-life-sustaining businesses” in the governor’s order are in fact part of the supply chain for other businesses listed as being a “life-sustaining” business.
We understand that there may be confusion among the state’s business community regarding whether or not they are considered to be a “life-sustaining” business. The Department of Community and Economic Development has set up two e-mails regarding this issue. We encourage employers with questions about whether their organization needs to close to contact DCED at ra-dcedcs@pa.gov. The Department has also dedicated the following e-mail, RA-dcexemption@pa.gov, for businesses seeking an exemption to the order.
Business Loans and Support
The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) offers working capital loans that could be of assistance to businesses impacted by COVID-19. Resources and information will be posted to http://dced.pa.gov/resources as they become available.
The Wolf Administration announced the availability of low-interest loans for small businesses and eligible non-profits in all 67 counties in Pennsylvania through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Businesses seeking guidance from DCED can also contact its customer service resource account at ra-dcedcs@pa.gov or by calling 1-877-PA-HEALTH and selecting option 1.
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit: https://www.pa.gov/guides/responding-to-covid-19/.
Additional Resources
For a list of additional resources available to businesses affected by COVID-19, please visit our first update, here.
York County COVID-19 Economic Impact Survey
The purpose of the survey is better understanding how the Coronavirus pandemic has impacted the local economy in York County. The findings from the survey will be shared anonymously and used to share crucial data with elected officials on the local, state, and federal levels. Additionally, the information will be used to help identify what information could be useful to convey through webinars and information sharing sessions.