On May 1, Governor Holcomb issued an executive order setting forth a schedule for a phased reopening of Indiana’s economy in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The order requires all employers wishing to continue operations or reopen to implement a safety plan by Monday, May 11. The plan must be publicly posted and provided to each employee.  

The purpose of the plan is to ensure a safe environment for both employees and customers. At a minimum, the plan must address the following four points:

1. Instituting an employee health screening process

2. Employing enhanced cleaning and disinfecting protocols for the workplace, including regularly cleaning high-touch surfaces

3. Enhancing the ability of employees, customers, and clients to wash hands or take other personal hygiene measures such as the use of hand sanitizer

4. Complying with social distancing requirements established by the CDC, including maintaining six-foot social distancing for both employees and members of the public when possible and/or employing other separation measures such as wearing face coverings or using barriers

With all the focus on the various dates for the reopening of Indiana’s economy, the requirement for a safety plan has received little attention. Employers should be sure to prepare and distribute their plans by the May 11 deadline to avoid any legal headaches as they reopen.