May 6, 2020 - Economy & Business

Chamber of Commerce unveils state-by-state reopening map

Mike Allen

In an effort to combat what it calls a confusing patchwork of reopening guidance, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce debuted Wednesday an interactive map with state-specific information to help businesses navigate local rules and guidelines.

Why it matters: The chamber has urged federal, state and local officials to move to a more unified approach.

  • The map entries include information about employee screening, limits on crowd sizes, workplace requirements for personal protecting equipment, cleaning/sanitation procedures, plus sector-specific guidance for retail, restaurants, childcare and more.

Neil Bradley, the chamber's executive vice president and chief policy officer, told Axios in a phone interview that the current system is creating "total confusion" for employees, workers and customers.

  • He said the most successful reopenings have been with personal services where one can make an appointment, making it possible to limit the number of people in a location at one time.
  • But for a restaurant, for instance, "you can’t general enough revenue at 25% occupancy."
  • In some places, Bradley said, childcare restrictions have "limited the ability of working parents to come back."
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