Guidelines for Reopening Dutchess County - Think Dutchess Alliance For Business

On Friday, May 22, Governor Cuomo approved the Mid-Hudson Region to begin Phase 1 of reopening contingent upon adequate numbers of contact tracers. Beginning Tuesday, May, 26 Dutchess County is ready to move forward and begin the reopening plan. Information on reopening safely can be found in the links below.

Additionally, the Governor also announced the state would begin a loan program for small businesses and nonprofits with less than 20 full-time equivalent employees. Small landlords who have seen a loss of rental income also qualify for the program. This program would provide a low-interest loan to be paid off over 5 years. Pre-application for these funds will be opened on May 26. For more information on the program, click HERE.

New York Forward Business Reopening Lookup Tool

Businesses in each region will be able to re-open in phases. Re-opening refers to non-essential businesses and business activities. Essential businesses and business activities that are open, will be able to remain open.

This tool will help you determine whether or not your business is eligible to reopen, and the public health and safety standards with which your business must comply. The guidelines accessible via the tool below apply to both non-essential businesses in regions that are permitted to re-open, and essential businesses throughout the state that were previously permitted to remain open. Eligibility for reopening will be determined by health metrics for each region.

NY FORWARD Lookup Tool

NY FORWARD Guide

NY FORWARD FAQs

New York Forward Safety Plan Template

Each business including those that have been designated as essential under Empire State Development’s Essential Business Guidance, must develop a written Safety Plan outlining how its workplace will prevent the spread of COVID-19. This plan does not need to be submitted to a state agency for approval but must be retained on the premises of the business and must bemade available to the New York State Department of Health (DOH) or local health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection. Business owners should refer to the State’s industry-specific guidance for more information on how to safely operate. For a list of regions and sectors that are authorized to re-open, as well as detailed guidance for each sector, please visit: forward.ny.gov.

If your industry is not included in the posted guidance but your business has been operating as essential, please refer to ESD’s Essential Business Guidance and adhere to the guidelines within this Safety Plan.

Business Affirmation Form

OSHA Returning to Work Resources

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has provided general information and guidance for businesses as they reopen. The guidelines are broken down by industry and the website offers additional resources to reopen safely.

Returning to Work Resources

CDC Reopening Guidance For Workplaces

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released additional guidance for cleaning and disinfecting public spaces, workplaces, businesses, schools, and homes while preparing to reopen. Additional resources to prevent the spread of COVID-19 are also available.

CDC Reopening Guidance