Coronavirus – Stay at Home Order
Stay at Home Order
We wanted to make sure that you are aware that the Government of Jersey has just announced that everyone in Jersey, except for essential workers, must stay at home at all times from 08:00 on Monday 30th March 2020. People should only leave their homes for a maximum of two hours each day and in the following limited circumstances:
- When you need to shop for food, medicine, and other basic necessities, which should be as infrequently as possible
- For daily exercise. This can include for example walking, cycling, running, exercising or caring for animals, provided you maintain social distancing from everyone outside your own household
- For any medical needs, including providing care.
Impact on businesses
All businesses should consider whether their organisation provides goods or services essential to the safe running of the Island. If not, they should close, and all employees and their families stay at home.
The Government has published detailed advice for employers and businesses which includes information on:
- A full list of ‘essential’ work categories
- A full list of businesses and premises that can remain open and those that must remain closed
- Businesses with premises that can continue to open as an essential service should display the ‘Permitted to open’ signage. A copy of the sign will be available for download on gove.je
- Any organisation that believes it undertakes essential work, but is not listed, and has staff that will need to be exempted from the ‘Stay at Home’ order at any time, should contact [email protected]with the subject line ‘Stay at Home Guidance’.
- It is anticipated that this order will be in place for the whole of April, so clearly this will have a further significant impact on your business.
- It is anticipated that this order will be in place for the whole of April, so clearly this will have a further significant impact on your business.
Now more than ever it is really important to plan for what is likely to be a very difficult and lean trading period going forward. There are going to be real cash flow difficulties for many people. Some steps that you can take now are:
- Minimise your outgoings as much as possible, both in the business and personally
- Seek help from your landlord requesting the deferment of any rent for a period
- Get in touch with your bank about how they can help you manage any personal or business borrowing.
- It is also important for you to consider any staff and wage costs and read carefully the terms of the payroll co-funding scheme to see if this is helpful to you.
- Detailed information about eligibility and the application process for the Disruption Loan Guarantee Scheme will be published very shortly. We will send you a further email about it as soon as it is available.
Keep looking at our website www.jerseybusiness.je/coronavirus as this has lots of helpful information, including access to free HR advice if you employ staff, and is being constantly updated.
Stay safe and best wishes,
The Jersey Business Team