Cascade strives to provide the most up-to-date information regarding COVID-19 and the requirements for businesses. Unfortunately, this plan has backfired these past two days, as Oregon has released numerous iterations of the facemask guidelines within hours of each other.
Below is the most recent guidance. Please note, this guidance applies statewide to all covered businesses, to the general public while visiting the covered businesses, and to the general public when visiting indoor spaces open to the public. The information in all previous alerts is no longer in effect.
The businesses covered in these new guidelines are:
Grocery stores; Fitness-related organizations; Pharmacies; Public transit agencies and providers; Personal services providers; Restaurants, bars, breweries, brewpubs, wineries, tasting rooms and distilleries; Retail stores, shopping centers and malls; and Ride sharing services.
Phase Two counties only: Indoor licensed swimming pools, licensed spa pools and sports court operators; Indoor entertainment facility operators; Indoor recreational sports operators for specified sports; and Indoor venue operators.
It is important to note that there may be face covering requirements and recommendations to other businesses or sectors not listed in this guidance. If your business or sector is not listed above, you should review the applicable sector guidance by clicking here.
Indoor public spaces include:
Indoor spaces, whether publicly owned or privately owned, where the public has access by right or invitation, express or implied, whether by payment of money or not. In addition to the public areas of the businesses defined above, such spaces may include, but are not limited to, building lobbies or common spaces, elevators, bathrooms, and buildings or meeting rooms outside of private homes where people gather for social, civic, cultural or religious purposes.
To summarize, the covered businesses and people responsible for indoor spaces open to the public are required to require employees, contractors and volunteers to wear a mask, face shield, or face covering, unless an accommodation is required or an exemption applies. Such businesses must provide face coverings for their employees and provide accommodations for employees, contractors, customers, and visitors if required by law. Covered businesses must also post clear signs about the mask, face shield, or face covering requirements.
Face masks are not required for covered businesses:
- When at or in a location where the employee, contractor or volunteer is not interacting with the public and six or more feet of distance can be maintained between other people;
- While eating or drinking;
- For customers and visitors when at a business or in an indoor space open to the public and engaged in an activity that makes wearing a mask, face shield or face covering not feasible, such as strenuous physical exercise, or performers singing or playing an instrument if at least six feet of distance is maintained from others.
Covered businesses and people responsible for indoor spaces open to the public should but are NOT required to provide, at no cost, disposable face coverings for customers and visitors who do not have one; post signs about the face coverings requirement in languages that are commonly spoken by customers and visitors; and educate employees on how to safely work and communicate with people who cannot wear face coverings and that they might need to remove their face covering while communicating with an individual who needs to read lips or see facial expressions to communicate.
Customers and visitors of businesses and indoor spaces open to the public are required to wear a face covering unless the individual is under 12 years of age, except while eating or drinking; when at a business or in an indoor space open to the public and engaged in an activity that makes wearing a mask, face shield or face covering not feasible, such as strenuous physical exercise, or performers singing or playing an instrument if at least six feet of distance is maintained from others.
Moreover, individuals who have a medical condition that makes it hard to breathe or who have a disability that prevents them from wearing a face covering can request an accommodation to enable full and equal access to services, transportation, and facilities open to the public. While the above is required, the guidelines note that it is strongly recommended that everyone wear a face covering in any setting where at least six feet of physical distance from others outside of an individual’s household, cannot be maintained.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions.