In the swarm of news coverage about Gov. Tony Evers’ Safer-at-Home order, a local business consultant says a number of clients, as well as a number of business owners she’s been talking to over the past 24 hours, have understood Safer at Home to mean that if their business is not listed as essential, they must completely shut down operations.
That’s not the case, says Susan Thomson, a partner with ActionCOACH. “If someone’s business can be operated virtually, they can and should continue to operate,” she states in an email.
Thomson notes the order includes the following language from Section 2: All for-profit and nonprofit businesses with a facility in Wisconsin, except essential businesses and operations as defined below, are required to cease all activities at facilities located within Wisconsin …
“I think the spirit of the law is that if you are not listed as essential, you should stay home so you don’t spread the virus — not that they intend on shutting down all commerce outside of the essential list,” Thomson states.
The full order is provided here.
