March 30, 2020
TN Governor Bill Lee Signs Executive Order 22
Ordering Non-Essential Businesses to Close
This afternoon, Gov. Bill Lee issued a “Safer at Home” order closing non-essential businesses statewide for a period of two weeks. This order is similar to restrictions already put in place in Knoxville, Nashville and Memphis. Lee stated that this was not a mandated ‘Shelter in place” order because he is trying to protect personal liberties.
The “Safer at Home” order recommends staying at home as much as possible for a temporary period of time to protect the health and safety of Tennesseans by limiting the spread of COVID-19 and preserving health care resources. All persons in Tennessee are urged to stay at home, except for when engaging in Essential Activity or Essential Services as defined in the Order. Businesses or organizations that do not perform Essential Services shall not be open for access or use by the public or its members. Such businesses or organizations are strongly encouraged to provide delivery, including delivery curbside outside of the business or organization, online or telephone orders, to the greatest extent practicable, and persons are encouraged to use any such options to support such businesses during this emergency. Essential Activity and Essential Services should be limited.
The order takes effect at 11:59 pm on 3/31/2020 and will remain in effect until April 14. Under the order, medical offices, pharmacies, and stores selling groceries, household items and automobile supplies can remain open, in addition to restaurants offering take-out or delivery orders only.
For those offices, workplaces, and businesses that remain open as permitted by this Order, employers should take steps to the greatest extent practicable to equip and permit employees to work from home, and employees and their customers should practice good hygiene and observe the Health Guidelines and necessary precautions advised by the President and the CDC to reduce the spread of COVID-19.
