Update 3.27.20: Governor Cooper has now issued a stay-at-home order closing all non-essential businesses. If your business has not been deemed essential, you may file an appeal with the NC Department of Revenue.
Today Kentucky, Connecticut, Louisiana and Ohio will become the most recent states to order "non-essential" businesses to be closed out of coronavirus fears. Delaware issued a similar order that will go in effect tomorrow. What is deemed "essential" is up to individual states to decide. There is no such order in effect in North Carolina at this time, but the Coalition would like to know if you think your business should be deemed essential if an order were to come. Email us or let us know in the comments below.
For instance, in the case of Kentucky, Governor Beshear provided a list of essential and non-essential businesses:
In Ohio, the Governor DeWine made the exceptions including the following:
- Healthcare related work
- Stores that sell groceries and medicine
- Food, beverage and licensed marijuana production and agriculture
- Charitable social services
- Religious entities
- Media
- Gas stations
- Financial institutions and insurers
The full list can be found beginning on page 5 of the order.
Louisiana's order can be found here, and Connecticut's here.
As of now, there is not a similar shutdown in North Carolina. In a briefing on Friday, NC Director of Emergency Management Mike Sprayberry confirmed that there were no plans to do so at this time but acknowledged "the situation is constantly evolving."
Are you a business owner? Do you think your business is "essential?" Why or why not? Leave us a comment below or send an email.
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