Vermont Business Magazine Today, Governor Phil Scott released Vermont's 3-Phased Reopening Plan for Vermont's Manufacturing, Fulfillment and Distribution enterprises, after many companies began taking their first, important steps towards recovery last Monday, April 27, in a measured fashion. "The Plan" is considered "a living document" and will be continuously updated and improved as information and guidance is refined and new best practices emerge.
The governor's order today states that effective May 4, 2020, the state will allow the following:
a. Small crews of no more than ten (10) persons per location/job, to perform outdoor work and construction work in unoccupied job sites. An unoccupied job site may be a single unit in a commercial or residential structure. “Unoccupied,” may include sites vacated for the duration of the construction work.
b. Manufacturing and distribution operations may resume with a maximum of 10 (ten) employees in any location if they are low-density and ensure employees are at least six feet apart at all times.
c. Supporting operations may continue with the minimum number of employees necessary to support curbside pick-up and delivery services, and in accordance with the guidance issued by ACCD.
The governor's order also states that effective May 11, 2020, manufacturing, construction, and distribution operations may restart with as few employees as necessary to permit full operations while continuing to maintain health and safety, subject to (1) compliance with the health and safety requirements and ACCD guidance and (2) the development of enhanced training programs.
See full order HERE.
The Phased Reopening Plan is available on MXVT.org, which also includes a developing list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), best practices and other valuable information for operating safely and effectively in today's COVID-19 environment.
About Vermont's Reopening Plan for Manufacturing, Fulfillment and Distribution
Adhering to specific health, safety and other guidance provided by the State of Vermont, including Governor Phil Scott, the VT Agency of Commerce & Community Development (ACCD), VT Department of Health (VDH) and VT Occupational Safety and Health Agency (VOSHA), Vermont's Phased Reopening Plan was developed by a group of twelve (12) industry, association and not-for-profit leaders. The "MFG Working Group" was rapidly convened by VMEC at the request of Bill Shouldice IV, VT Teddy Bear Company CEO and a member of the RestartVT Action Team's MFG Working Group within the "Vermont Economic Mitigation and Recovery Task Force" created by Governor Scott on April 14.
Bill Shouldice speaks via video link at Governor Scott's press briefing today. Screen capture.
Chaired by Bill Shouldice IV, the RestartVT MFG Working Group was charged with expeditiously preparing a safe, effective, and phased-in Plan for reopening closed Vermont Manufacturing, Fulfillment and Distribution enterprises as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In addition to VMEC's roles serving as a member of the MFG Working Group and convener of the Working Group, the VMEC Team was utilized as a trusted resource and advisor who was able to quickly draw from local, regional and national resources, including the MEP National Network that VMEC represents in Vermont, to identify best practices in the rapidly changing COVID-19 environment. Moving forward, VMEC has agreed to continue to work all three of the roles mentioned, as well as now being the official "steward" of the Reopening Plan, which will be maintained as a continuously improving, "living" document at MXVT.org.
According to VMEC Director & CEO Bob Zider, "We will gladly continue working closely with the Vermont Economic Mitigation and Recovery Task Force and the committed RestartVT MFG Working Group partners. We will do all that we possibly can to help accelerate and secure a post-COVID-19 future in Vermont that is marked by renewed prosperity and profitable growth for our currently challenged companies. Collectively, manufacturers remain the largest private-sector contributors to Vermont's annual GDP at about $3.0 billion. And because of manufacturing's high economic and jobs multiplier impacts, all manufacturing is now even more essential to Vermont's economic recovery and future economic well being."
2020 RestartVT MFG Working Group Team:
Questions related to the Phased Reopening Plan may be answered in the FAQs section at MXVT.org or by email to [email protected].
VMEC COVID-19 Resource Page and Manufacturing Exchange-Vermont
REOPEN PLAN PANEL Q&A TODAY 1:30pm
Join Zoom Meeting https://vsc.zoom.us/j/97552113919
Meeting ID: 975 5211 3919
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+16468769923,,97552113919# US (New York)
VMEC Business Advisor at this link.
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