On March 21, FRLA released updated Frequently Asked Questions following recent Executive Orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida and across the U.S.

The FAQs can be found here.

TALLAHASSEE – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that Florida restaurants will move to take-out and delivery only in response to the evolving COVID-19 impact across the state. In his Executive Order, the Governor also lifted the ban on alcohol delivery for restaurants under certain conditions.

In the order, Governor DeSantis expressed his support to retailers, restaurants, and employees as they pursue creative business practices that safely serve consumers during this temporary period of social distancing.

“Governor DeSantis continues to lead and take swift action out of precaution for the safety of Florida residents and visitors,” said Carol Dover, President & CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. “Allowing restaurants to stay open for delivery and take-out, while also lifting the ban for alcohol delivery, is critical to supporting Florida’s dining establishments and their employees. We applaud Governor DeSantis for allowing Florida’s hospitality industry to continue to meet the needs of communities across Florida during this difficult time.

For more information and industry-related COVID-19 updates, please visit https://frla.org/covid-19.

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By Nichole Mooney

Over the weekend, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the FFCRA). The FFCRA was sent to the Senate, with some amendments to the original bill. It was passed by the Senate and signed by President Trump on March 18, 2020; it becomes effective in fifteen days, on April 2, 2020. This is one of several relief acts expected to deal with the Coronavirus Pandemic.

There are a number of divisions of the FFCRA. For employers and employees there are two provisions with immediate impact. Division C, the “Emergency Family And Medical Leave Expansion Act,” provides leave, part of which is paid, to employees who cannot work in order to care for children under 18 who are home related to school and childcare closures. Division E, the “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act,” provides paid sick leave for certain employees. Both Divisions apply to employers with less than 500 employees. For employers, an additional section, Division G –“Tax Credits For Paid Sick And Paid Family And Medical Leave” is also important and provides tax credits for both of the paid leave benefits required under Divisions C and E.

Both the benefits under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (Emergency FMLA) and the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (Emergency Sick Leave) will be available April 2, 2020 and expire December 31, 2020.

DIVISION D – EMERGENCY FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE EXPANSION ACT

The Emergency FMLA amends the existing Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) in several significant ways:

1. The Emergency FMLA applies to employers with less than 500 employees.
2. Employees are eligible for leave under the Emergency FMLA if he or she has been employed with the employer or for at least 30 calendar days. (This expands coverage beyond the FMLA which requires employment for 12 months.)
3. The Emergency FMLA provides leave when there is a “Qualifying Need Related to a Public Health Emergency.” This means that the employee is unable to work or telework because the employee must provide care for a child under 18 where the child’s school or place of care has been closed, or the childcare provider is unavailable, due to the public health emergency. For purposes of the Emergency FMLA, “Public Health Emergency” means an emergency with respect to COVID-19 which has been declared by a federal, state or local authority.
4. Leave is available up to 12 weeks and part of it is paid:
   1. The first 10 days of such leave may be unpaid (but see section on Emergency Sick Leave below which may apply in this period). In the employees’ discretion (the employer may not require substitution of paid leave), the employee may elect to substitute accrued vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave for the unpaid portion of the Emergency FMLA.
   2. After 10 days, the employer must provide paid leave for each day of leave under the Emergency FMLA.
   3. The paid leave shall be not less than two-thirds of the employee’s regular rate of pay and is based on the number of hours the employee would otherwise be normally scheduled to work.
   4. There is a cap on the paid leave – $200.00 per day or $10,000.00 in the aggregate.

5. Like the FMLA, the Emergency FMLA provides for job restoration, except that job restoration is not required for employers with fewer than 25 employees if:
   1. The position held by the employee when the leave begins does not exist due to economic conditions or other changes in the operations of the employer that affect employment and are caused by the public health emergency during the leave;
   2. The employer makes reasonable efforts to restore the employee to a position equivalent to that which the employee held when the leave commenced; and
   3. If reasonable efforts to restore the employee fail, the employer must continue to contact the employee if an equivalent position becomes available for a period of one year beginning the earlier of the date on which the qualifying need concludes, or 12 weeks after the date on which the employee’s Emergency FMLA leave commences.

6. The Secretary of Labor may issue regulations:
   1. Which exclude from the Emergency FMLA certain healthcare providers and emergency responders from the definition of eligible employees; and
   2. Exempt small business with fewer than 50 employees from the requirements of the Emergency FMLA when imposition of such requirements would jeopardize the viability of the business as a going concern.

It is unknown what the requirements for these exemptions will be. However, regulations are expected in the near future.

DIVISION E – EMERGENCY PAID SICK LEAVE ACT

Generally, there is no federal requirement to provide paid sick time. Florida also does not have such a requirement. However, under Emergency Paid Sick Leave, certain paid sick time will be required of all employers. The most immediately relevant portions are:

1. It applies to all employers with less than 500 employees.
2. Emergency Sick Leave is available for immediate use regardless of how long the employee has been employed (i.e. leave time is not accrued based on time worked).
3. It provides that an employer shall provide each employee paid sick time if the employee is unable to work or telework because:
   1. The employee is subject to a federal, state or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
   2. The employee has been advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19;
   3. The employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking a medical diagnosis;
   4. The employee is caring for an individual described in (a) or (b) above;
   5. The employee is caring for a son or daughter whose school or place of care has been closed, or a childcare provider is unavailable, due to COVID-19 precautions;
   6. The employee is experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretary of Treasury and Secretary of Labor. (We do not yet have clarification on what this is intended to address.)

4. An employer of an employee who is a healthcare provider or emergency responder may elect to exclude such an employee from these requirements.
5. The following applies to the Emergency Paid Leave:
   1. Full-time employees are entitled to 80 hours;
   2. Part-time employees are entitled to the number of hours that the employee works on average over a two-week period;
   3. Emergency Sick Leave does not carry over from one year to the next, and terminates at the end of 2020;
   4. Employers may not require employees to try to find someone to cover the hours the employee misses while using Emergency Sick Leave; and
   5. The employee may first use Emergency Sick Leave and the employer cannot require the employee to first use other paid leave provided under its policies – thus, it appears this leave is in addition to, and does not run concurrently with other time off available under current policies.

6. Calculation and Caps:
   1. Emergency Sick Leave is calculated based on the employee’s regular compensation and the number of hours the employee would otherwise normally be scheduled to work. If the employee’s hours vary from week to week, they are calculated based on the average number of hours the employee was scheduled to work per day over the six-month period ending on the date on which the employee takes the leave.
   2. Sick time for an employee’s own health is paid at the employee’s regular rate. Paid sick time for the other circumstance is paid at not less than two-thirds of the employee’s regular rate. This is capped:
      1. Emergency Sick Leave shall not exceed $511.00 per day, or $5,110.00 in the aggregate, for any circumstance in which the employee is using the leave because of the employee’s own required quarantine or symptoms as described in paragraphs (3) (a)-(c) above.
      2. Emergency Sick Leave shall not exceed $200.00 per day, or $2,000.00 in the aggregate, for any employee using the sick leave to care for a child, individual subject to quarantine or experiencing symptoms, or the “other substantial similar condition” specified in the Act – symptoms as described in paragraphs (3) (d)-(f) above.

FOR EMPLOYERS

The FFCRA also provides certain tax credits to assist with the required paid leave under the Emergency FMLA and Emergency Sick Leave. There will be a tax credit for each calendar quarter in an amount equal to 100% of the qualified sick leave wages paid. The tax credit is equal to the amount paid and utilizes the same caps which apply to the paid sick leave. It further provides that if there is any excess credit for any calendar quarter, it shall be treated as an overpayment and refunded. Division G also provides certain credits for eligible self-employed individuals.

Access the full text of the FCRA here.

The regulations to implement the FFCRA are expected within 15 days and will hopefully provide some additional clarity. In the meantime, please review your existing paid time off policies and begin to consider how the Emergency FMLA and Emergency Sick Leave will be utilized in your place of business. If we can be of assistance during this difficult time, please do not hesitate to contact our team.

Nicky Mooney is a shareholder and employment law attorney at Dean Mead in Orlando where she represents individuals and businesses of all sizes in business litigation and employment related issues. She has extensive experience drafting employment and severance contracts, drafting handbooks and policies, and counseling and representing employers in litigation regarding all types of employee actions, rights and obligations, including, but not limited to, wage and hour questions and disputes, FMLA issues, claims of discrimination, retaliation, theft of trade secrets, and all other manner of employment related litigation under Florida and federal law. She may be reached at [email protected].

Best Western, Choice Hotels, Hilton, Hyatt, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott, MGM, Pebblebrook, Universal, The Walt Disney Company join AHLA & USTA to Stress Severity 

 WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 17, 2020) – Leading hotel CEOs met today with the White House to discuss urgent economic recovery solutions needed to protect millions of U.S. hotel employees and 33,000 small businesses as travel grinds to a virtual halt across the country.  From Main Street to major cities across the country, hotels everywhere are on the verge of shutting their doors in the coming days – many by the end of this week. With 1 in 25 jobs directly supported by the hotel industry, the rapid pace of booking cancellations is having an immediate, negative ripple effect that risks seeing mom and pop hotel owners shutter, furlough their employees, hurting community businesses.

The hotel industry is an industry of people and the current human toll is proving to be catastrophic. Based on current occupancy estimates, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) says four million total jobs have been eliminated already or are on the verge of being lost in the next few weeks. In certain affected markets, including Seattle, San Francisco, Austin and Boston, hotel occupancy rates are already down below 20 percent and individual hotels and major operators have already shut down operations.

Chip Rogers, AHLA President and CEO, said the burgeoning COVID-19 health crisis is unprecedented in its size and scope, and it represents the single largest decline in travel in modern times.

“The impact to our industry is already more severe than anything we’ve seen before, including September 11^th and the great recession of 2008 combined,” stated Rogers. “The White House and Congress can take urgent action to protect countless jobs, provide relief to our dedicated and hardworking employees, and ensure that our small business operators and franchise owners – who represent more than half of hotels in the country – can keep their doors open.”

“Pebblebrook Hotel Trust is a REIT with 54 hotels with over 13,000 rooms and over 8,000 employees around the country. Our hotels are in most of the hardest hit cities – Seattle, San Francisco, here in Washington, DC, NYC, Boston, Chicago and more. As of today, we have had to make the difficult decision to let go over 4,000 employees,” noted Jon Bortz, Board Chair, AHLA and Chairman & CEO, Pebblebrook Hotel Trust. “By the end of the month, we expect another 2,000 employees will also be let go, representing over three quarters of our employees. We are looking at closing the doors at more than half of our properties. This is the reality we, and countless other owners and operators around the country are facing in the wake of this public health situation.”

 According to an Oxford Economic Study, a 30 percent decline in hotel guest occupancy could result in the loss of nearly 4 million jobs, with $180 billion of wages and a $300 billion hit to the GDP – crippling the hotel industry, the local communities they serve and the U.S. economy.

 Top hotel industry leaders laid out several immediate actions the White House and Congress could take to help the hotel industry protect jobs and help small business operators. The group focused on two critical goals – retaining and rehiring employees and keeping hotels from shutting down through access to liquidity and low interest loans, including for small businesses.

Hotel CEOs who participated in the roundtable discussion today at the White House were hopeful that President Trump and Members of Congress will work together urgently to provide relief and ensure the industry is positioned to rebound from the unprecedented impact from the Coronavirus pandemic.

“This unprecedented public health crisis has quickly become a catastrophic economic crisis as well,” said Roger Dow, President and CEO, U.S. Travel Association President. “The losses for the travel industry alone are projected to double the unemployment rate over the next two months and plunge the country into recession. Small businesses, which make up 83% of travel businesses, need relief right now if they’re going to be able to keep paying their employees.”

The Oxford study estimates the hotel industry supports 1 in 25 American jobs, totaling 8.3 million jobs, paying more than $97 billion in wages and salary income, and contributes nearly $660 billion to the U.S. GDP annually.  In addition to major hotel brands, the hotel industry includes more than 33,000 small businesses, which represent 61 percent of hotel properties in the U.S.

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American Hotel & Lodging Association President and CEO, Chip Rogers said, “The impact to our industry is already more severe than anything we’ve seen before, including September 11^th and the great recession of 2008 combined. The White House and Congress can take urgent action to protect countless jobs, provide relief to our dedicated and hardworking employees, and ensure that our small business operators and franchise owners – who represent more than half of hotels in the country – can keep their doors open.”

Best Western Hotels & Resorts President and CEO, David Kong said, “For nearly 75 years, Best Western has been a brand with small family businesses at our core. Most of our hotels are owned and operated by hardworking men and women with their children growing up in the business. For them, their hotels represent their families’ legacy and their future. Many are being forced to close their doors with no assurance of when they will be able to reopen. Their employees are left with no gainful employment and the resultant financial hardship. It is imperative that the government step in immediately with loan programs that provide capital and liquidity to help small businesses survive as well as other employment programs to help the impacted employees. The situation is dire.”

Choice Hotels International President & CEO, Pat Pacious said, “The majority of our 13,000 franchisees are small business hotel owners who have to meet payroll, pay their mortgages every month, and support their families during this crisis – as well as take care of their guests. As I told the Administration today, while Choice Hotels is acting to assist our franchisees, the federal government has a critical role to play in helping minimize the impact and disruption to the livelihoods of small business hotel owners and their employees, as well as stabilizing the economy during this difficult and unprecedented time.”

Hilton President and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher J. Nassetta said, “In Hilton’s 100-year history, we have never seen anything like the current situation. I am hearing directly from hotel employees concerned about their mortgage payments and hotel owners worried about making payroll. Nearly eighty percent of the hotels in our U.S. network are franchise properties that employ less than 50 people, and we are using every tool in our toolkit to keep these small businesses viable. Ours is an industry of people serving people, and that’s why we’re asking Congress and the Administration to help shield them from the economic impact of the coronavirus, so they can be part of the recovery that will follow.”

Hyatt president and CEO, Mark Hoplamazian said,  “In our industry, success depends entirely on the passion and dedication of our people. It is critical that we take swift action to ensure that our workforce is protected with the proper healthcare and financial support so that the industry can return in full force following this unprecedented degree of business interruption.”

InterContinental Hotels Group CEO Americas, Elie Maalouf said, “The coronavirus represents a global economic emergency as well as a global health emergency, and the impact it will have on the hospitality industry is unprecedented. Even as we’re currently managing this issue to keep our guests and colleagues safe, and hotel owners secure, we’re committed to doing everything we can to protect the future of the millions of Americans employed by the hotel industry and prepare to expedite a return to normal once this crisis passes. We appreciate the administration’s engagement in this issue and look forward to continuing this important discussion in the weeks ahead.”

 Marriott International President and CEO, Arne Sorenson said, “The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented decline in demand impacting our hotels and our associates. We are looking to government to support the hospitality industry through this period of time so we can assist our associates and hotel owners, many of whom are small businesses.”

MGM Resorts International Chairman & CEO, James Murren said, “Within days we have transformed from a vibrant industry welcoming people from around the world, to one experiencing a total shutdown of business.  Addressing this public health emergency required major collective action which is why MGM shut down our operations. But it comes at a cost to our tens of thousands of employees, small businesses and communities who depended on us.  We look forward to a productive dialogue on how to ensure that when it is safe, the gaming industry can be in a position to open our doors so that we and the 2 million jobs that depend can be part of the economic recovery that is to come.”

Pebblebrook Hotel Trust  AHLA Board Chair, Jon Bortz said, “Pebblebrook Hotel Trust is a REIT with 54 hotels with over 13,000 rooms and over 8,000 employees around the country. Our hotels are in most of the hardest hit cities — Seattle, San Francisco, here in Washington, DC, NYC, Boston, Chicago and more. As of today, we have had to make the difficult decision to let go over 4,000 employees. By the end of the month, we expect another 2,000 employees will also be let go, representing over three quarters of our employees. We are looking at closing the doors at more than half of our properties. This is the reality we, and countless other owners and operators around the country are facing in the wake of this public health situation.”

U.S. Travel Association President and CEO, Roger Dow said, “This unprecedented public health crisis has quickly become a catastrophic economic crisis as well. The losses for the travel industry alone are projected to double the unemployment rate over the next two months and plunge the country into recession. Small businesses, which make up 83% of travel businesses, need relief right now if they’re going to be able to keep paying their employees.”

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RESTAURANTS

Limit customer entry to 50% of capacity.
Stagger and limit seating to ensure seated parties are separated by a distance of at least 6 feet.
Encourage restaurants to continue and expand take-out and delivery services.
Screen all employees and prohibit entry for employees that answer “yes” to any of the following questions:

1. Have you returned from international travel or been on a cruise within the last 14 days?
2. Have you been in contact with anyone who has returned from international travel or been on a cruise within the last 14 days?
3. Have you been in any gathering of 50 people or more in the last 14 days?
4. Have you traveled to any area known to have high numbers of positive cases of COVID-19, including but not limited to California, Washington, New York, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C.?
5. Have you experienced signs or symptoms of COVID-19, such as fever, cough or shortness of breath?

BARS AND NIGHTCLUBS

All bars and nightclubs throughout the state will close for the next 30 days.

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Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis issued an Executive Order that will reduce density and crowds in restaurants, bars, nightclubs and beaches to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Bars and Nightclubs

Under the direction of Governor DeSantis, all bars and nightclubs throughout Florida will close for the next 30 days. Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) will be enforcing and providing further guidance.

Beaches

The Governor is directing parties accessing public beaches in the state of Florida to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance by limiting their gatherings to no more than 10 persons.

Restaurants

Restaurants across the state of Florida will now be required to limit customer entry to 50 percent of capacity. Seating must be staggered and limited to ensure seated parties are separated by a distance of at least six feet, in accordance with CDC guidelines. Restaurants are encouraged to remain open and expand take-out and delivery services. Additional information will be provided by DBPR.

For a PDF copy of the Executive Order, please click here.

Contact:

Governor’s Press Office (850) 727-9282

[email protected]

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Contact: Governor’s Press Office
(850) 717-9282

[email protected]

Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis activated the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program to support small businesses impacted by COVID-19. The bridge loan program, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), will provide short-term, interest-free loans to small businesses that experienced economic injury from COVID-19. The application period opens tomorrow, March 17, 2020 and runs through May 8, 2020.

“As we mitigate against the spread of COVID-19, the health, safety and well-being of Floridians comes first,” said Governor DeSantis. “I understand the harm mitigation strategies will have on small businesses throughout our state. By activating the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan, we are providing the opportunity for Florida’s small businesses to receive cash immediately to ensure they can lessen the impacts felt as a result of COVID-19.” 

DEO will administer the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program in partnership with the Florida SBDC Network and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation to provide cash flow to businesses economically impacted by COVID-19. The short-term, interest-free loans help bridge the gap between the time the economic impact occurred and when a business secures other financial resources, including payment of insurance claims or longer-term Small Business Administration (SBA) loans. Up to $50 million has been allocated for the program.

“Governor DeSantis has been a true leader in the fight to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and has prioritized the safety of all Floridians,” said Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Executive Director, Ken Lawson. “The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan will help Florida’s small businesses get through this unsettling time. We appreciate the Governor’s efforts to keep Florida’s small businesses top of mind and our partners at the Florida SBDC Network and Florida First Capital Finance Corporation to help them recover.”

Small business owners with two to 100 employees located in Florida affected by COVID-19 can apply for short-term loans up to $50,000. These loans are interest-free for up to one year and are designed to bridge the gap to either federal SBA loans or commercially available loans. DEO will work with every borrower to ensure that repayment of the loan isn’t an overwhelming burden. To be eligible, a business must have been established prior to March 9, 2020 and demonstrate economic impacts as a result of COVID-19.

“Mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in Florida must be our number one priority,” said Florida SBDC Network CEO, Mike Myhre. “The Florida SBDC Network stands ready to assist Governor DeSantis and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to help small businesses recover as a result of the impacts of COVID-19.”

“We are ready to assist the Governor and state of Florida to deliver this vital assistance to the small business community we serve, as we have 23 times since 1992,” said Florida First Capital Finance Corporation President and CEO, Todd Kocourek.

DEO is currently surveying businesses throughout the state of Florida who have been impacted by COVID-19. Businesses and non-profits can access the Business Damage Assessment survey at FloridaDisaster.BIZ Select “COVID-19” from the drop-down menu on the survey page. Response to the Business Damage Assessment survey is not an application for assistance. Businesses interested in the bridge loan program must fill out a bridge loan application.

For more information on the program, visit www.floridadisasterloan.org. For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan Program, contact the Florida Small Business Development Center Network at 866-737-7232 or email [email protected]. The phone line will be answered during regular business hours; all voice mails and emails will be responded to within 24 hours.

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Contact: Office of Communications, (850) 617-7737

TALLAHASSEE – With 155 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Florida, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ (FDACS) is once again updating consumers and business on precautionary steps to minimize coronavirus infection risk. Last week, the FDACS Division of Food Safety provided guidance to Florida food establishments on best practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

In a letter sent to the Florida Retail Federation, the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, and thousands of grocery stores, markets, gas stations, convenience stores, and food manufacturing businesses that FDACS regulates, the Department advised these businesses to sanitize shopping cart and shopping basket handles, and ensure sanitization supplies are available to consumers. Commissioner Fried also shared these best practices on social media.

“As the Florida’s food safety and consumer protection agency, we’re working to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus in high-traffic areas like grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations — places that millions of Floridians visit every day,” said Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried. “As confirmed cases of coronavirus increase in Florida and across the country, everything counts when it comes to limiting the spread of viruses, like sanitizing shopping carts at the store, using hand sanitizer, and washing your hands.”

“As millions of Florida consumers visit food establishments each day, it’s crucial that we work alongside these businesses to ensure the best sanitization practices are being followed. This is critical to reducing the transmission of bacterial and viral pathogens and lessen chances of spreading COVID-19,” said Dr. Matthew Curran, FDACS Director of Food Safety. “Whether in the grocery store or at the gas pump, we want to remind businesses and consumers to wipe down hard surfaces before use, and maintain clean hands with thorough hand-washing or hand-sanitizer of at least 60% alcohol content.”

The letters follow previous communications from FDACS during National Consumer Protection Week advising regulated businesses on how to mitigate spreading COVID-19.

On March 3^rd, FDACS’ Division of Food Safety reminded businesses to follow requirements (Rule 5K-4.002, Florida Administrative Code and FDA Food Code) to ensure food safety and reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses, and the Division of Consumer Services notified businesses and associations of important guidelines and recommendation to protect consumers and lower the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

Read and download all of the letters here.

Consumers and businesses with questions about food safety practices can call the Division of Food Safety at (850) 245-5520 or email [email protected]. Questions about human health-related impacts of COVID-19 should be referred to the Florida Department of Health’s COVID-19 center at (866) 779-6121 or [email protected].

For Retailers/Food Establishments:

FDACS is reminding these businesses of the following requirements (Rule 5K-4.002, Florida Administrative Code and FDA Food Code) to ensure food safety and reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses, such as COVID-19:

• Food preparers must keep hands and arms clean, and follow cleaning procedures including washing at least 20 seconds with hand cleaner and rinsing under warm running water.
• When to wash includes: after touching body parts; after using the restroom; after caring for animals; after coughing, sneezing, or using tissue; after using tobacco; after eating or drinking; after handling soiled equipment during food preparation; after handling raw food and working with ready to eat food; before donning gloves; and after any other activity that contaminates hands. (Chapter 2-301)
• There is required to be at least one hand washing sink (Chapter 5-203), that handwashing sink must be convenient to employees and or immediately adjacent to toilet rooms (Chapter 5-204), and handwashing supplies such as hand soap and cleanser and drying devices such as towels or heated air devices for handwashing sinks are required to be present (Chapter 6-301).

For Consumers:

 Studies have shown that human coronaviruses can persist on inanimate surfaces like plastic, glass, or metal for up to nine days. Therefore, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and FDACS recommend the following food safety tips for consumers:

• Wash your hands often when cooking, including: before, during, and after preparing any food; after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs; before eating; after touching garbage; after wiping counters or cleaning surfaces with chemicals; after touching pets, pet food, or pet treats; and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.
• Wash your hands even when wearing gloves, as contaminated gloves can spread germs to your hands when removing the gloves.
• Disinfect and dry commonly-used surfaces such as countertops and cutting boards, as dampness can help remaining viruses survive and multiply.
• Use disposable cloths or paper towels when possible, or wash reusable cloths at 140 degrees Fahrenheit after each use.
• While there is no evidence that fresh produce (or other foods) can transmit the virus, wash all fruits and vegetables under running water.

At the Gas Pump:

 Additionally, Deputy Commissioner for Consumer Affairs Mary Barzee Flores offered the following tips to reduce the spread of COVID-19 at commonly-touched gas pumps:

• Clean surfaces: Use a disinfecting wipe to clean gas pump handles and keypads, or use the wipe to handle each surface and don’t re-use the same wipe.
• Use hand sanitizer: Apply hand sanitizer on your hands after pumping gas or wash your hands for at least 20 seconds or more as recommended by the CDC.

About the FDACS Division of Food Safety: The Division of Food Safety inspects and regulates more than 40,000 grocery stores, convenience stores, markets, and food manufacturing facilities in Florida. As of March 3, the Division of Food Safety has been in communication with the majority of these food establishments, as well as the Florida Retail Federation and the Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, to share food safety practices that protect public health.

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 For Immediate Release: March 12, 2020

 The Business Damage Assessment Survey can be taken online at https://floridadisaster.biz/

 Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the activation of the Business Damage Assessment survey to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Florida’s local business operations. The survey, managed by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO), will evaluate businesses affected by COVID-19 and the impacts the virus has had on the local economy so actions to implement appropriate relief programs can begin.

“Gathering information about the impact COVID-19 has on Florida businesses and industries will be invaluable to the state’s efforts in coordinating our response,” said Governor DeSantis. “It is important that we understand the total impact COVID-19 has on businesses to ensure that we access the resources that may be available.”

The Business Damage Assessment Survey can be taken online at https://floridadisaster.biz/. Results from this survey will be shared with state agencies and local partners. Surveys submitted by small businesses can be used to access the Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan, made available for COVID-19 through the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act. For inquiries or assistance with the survey, businesses can contact Emergency Support Function 18 at [email protected].

“Under Governor DeSantis’ direction, the state of Florida has maintained contact with our business partners throughout the state in order to develop a proactive response for COVID-19 business impacts,” said Florida DEO Executive Director Ken Lawson. “We need feedback from all Florida businesses to provide comprehensive information about the impacts of COVID-19 to our partners at the federal level.”

Governor Ron DeSantis issued Executive Order 20-52 declaring a State of Emergency for COVID-19 and directed the Florida Division of Emergency Management to activate the Florida Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to a Level II, to coordinate the state’s response to COVID-19. Last week, the governor issued Executive Order 20-51 directing the State Surgeon General to declare a public health emergency.

For the most up-to-date information about COVID-19 in Florida, please visit the Florida Department of Health’s dedicated COVID-19 webpage. For any other questions related to COVID-19 in Florida, please contact the state’s dedicated COVID-19 Call Center by calling (866) 779-6121. The Call Center is available 24 hours per day. Inquiries may also be emailed to [email protected].

Contact: (850) 717-9282; [email protected]

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