The COVID Project
The record
- Jurisdiction
- Virginia
- Level
- State
- Authority
- Office of the Governor, Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Executive Order Fifty-Three (Mar. 2020) (as posted by the Va. Dep't of Labor & Indus.)
- Issued
- 2020-04-13 Apr. 13, 2020
- Effective
- 2020-03-24 11:59 p.m. (EO 53), 'until Thursday, April 23 at 11:59 PM' as the FAQ states, later extended to May 14, 2020 (read as 2020-03-24)
- End
- 2020-05-14 (EO 53 closures; Exs. VA-007, VA-009) (read as 2020-05-14)
- In force
- Mar. 24, 2020 to May 14, 2020
- Quarters
- 2020 Q2
2020 Q22020 Q32020 Q42021 Q12021 Q22021 Q3
- Limitation types
- Business closureTelework mandateCapacity limitGathering capWorkplace rules
- Addressees
- specified businesses (recreation and entertainment; restaurants and beverage; non-essential retail); employers generally (professional services; essential businesses)
- Character
- guidance incorporated
- Collection
- Standing duties: Virginia DUT-VA
Operative words
Non-essential retail businesses must limit their operations to ten patrons or less with adequate social distancing. If they cannot limit their operations to 10 patrons or less with adequate social distancing, then they must close.... Where telework is not feasible, such businesses must adhere to social distancing recommendations, enhanced sanitizing practices on common surfaces
Penalty
Class 1 misdemeanor under section 44-146.17 (EO 53 paragraphs 1, 3, 4 and 6)
What it required
The Commonwealth's own explanation of EO 53's duties on every business class: recreational and entertainment businesses 'must close to the public'; restaurants 'must close their dining and congregation areas'; non-essential retail 'must limit their operations to ten patrons or less with adequate social distancing' or 'must close'; other businesses 'should utilize teleworking as much as possible' and, where telework is not feasible, 'must adhere to social distancing recommendations, enhanced sanitizing practices'; essential businesses 'must, to the extent possible, practice social distancing, increase sanitizing of common surfaces'; employees concerned that an employer was not following the guidance were directed to 'contact OSHA or the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry'; 'Businesses in violation of this order may be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor.'
Retrieval noteRetrieved as the Wayback Machine's raw capture of April 13, 2020 from the Department of Labor and Industry's site, which posted the Governor's FAQ beside EO 53 and EO 55 for employers. The FAQ's verbs track the order's exactly: 'must' for closures and the 10-patron rule, 'should' for telework, 'must adhere' for distancing and sanitizing where telework is not feasible (compare Ex. VA-004 paragraphs 6 to 8).