On March 22, 2020, the State of Louisiana issued a “stay at home” order directing all residents to stay home, except for essential activities, essential government functions, or to participate in the certain permitted “essential critical” businesses. Louisiana’s order allows more businesses to continue operations than other “stay at home” orders that other states had issued.
The following businesses are ordered closed (but may conduct necessary activities such as payroll, cleaning services, maintenance, or upkeep):
- Places of public amusement, whether indoors or outdoors;
- All personal care and grooming businesses;
- All malls, except for stores that have direct outdoor entrances and provide essential services and products under the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Information Security Agency (DHS CISA) guidelines;
- Casinos, movie theaters, bars, bowling alleys, fitness centers, gyms, and restaurants for on-site dining remain closed as per the State of Louisiana’s previous March 16, 2020 order.
Essential businesses are defined in the DHS CISA guidelines. These businesses can continue normal operations. The DHS CISA guidelines identify the following Essential Critical Infrastructure workers and sectors:
- Healthcare and Public Health
- Transportation Systems
- Water
- Food and Agriculture
- Nuclear Reactors, Materials & Waste
- Defense Industry Base
- Energy
- Government Facilities
- Emergency Services
- Financial
- Information Technology
- Dams (See Public Works, below)
- Critical Manufacturing
- Communications
- Chemical
- Commercial Facilities
CISA’s Guidance on The Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce explains which workers are deemed “critical.”
In addition, the order states that “all gatherings of 10 people or more shall be postponed or cancelled.” The above provisions are effective from March 23, 2020 through April 13, 2020, unless terminated sooner.
Ogletree Deakins will continue to monitor and report on developments with respect to the COVID-19 pandemic and will post updates in the firm’s Coronavirus (COVID-19) Resource Center as additional information becomes available. Critical information for employers is also available via the firm’s webinar programs.
