Industry guidance to reduce risk

Last updated September 24, 2020 at 4:55 PM

California has a Blueprint for a Safer Economy in the state with revised criteria for loosening and tightening restrictions on activities.

Every county in California is assigned to a tier based on its rate of new cases and positivity. Check your county’s tier status to see how businesses and activities can open.

Reopen your business or facility safely

Use the Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening to help plan and prepare for reopening your business.

Review how to respond to COVID-19 cases in your workplace and prevent further spread.

To protect and support workers, employers need to:

Instruct workers when they should stay home
Notify all workers who were potentially exposed
Maintain confidentiality when communicating with other workers
Provide healthcare consultations advising workers about their exposure
Provide information to close contacts about home quarantine, symptom monitoring, and testing options
Provide information to affected workers about what to expect, including sick leave options and when they can return to work

To manage outbreaks, employers need to:

Identify and track suspected and confirmed cases among workers
Report confirmed cases to the local health department where their business is located, and where the infected workers live (if different)
Develop a testing strategy to identify additional worker cases and close contacts to control further spread
Work with their local health department to assist in contact tracing and quarantining of close contacts
Consider whether to temporarily suspend operations

Wearing a mask or face covering is required statewide in public or common spaces. Employers must provide face coverings to workers, or must reimburse workers for the reasonable cost of obtaining them. Find all requirements and exceptions to these rules in the guidance on this page below.

All businesses and facilities must follow the items listed here before reopening:

Scroll down this page to find the guidance for your industry, business, event, or activity.
Review it completely.
Perform a detailed risk assessment and create a worksite-specific protection plan.
Train employees on how to limit the spread of COVID-19. This includes how to screen themselves for symptoms and when to stay home.
Set up individual control measures and screenings.
Put disinfection protocols in place.
Establish physical distancing guidelines.
Establish universal face covering requirements (with allowed exceptions). See CDPH guidelines (PDF).
Post your completed checklist so everyone can know the steps you’ve taken. Feel free to add more safety measures to the ones included in your industry’s guidance.

Employer policies and resources

It’s important that employees with COVID-19 know they should stay home. Your sick leave policies need to support that. Workers also need safe and reliable childcare options during the COVID-19 response. See information on:

Industry guidance

See guidance in other languages

Agriculture and livestock

Auto dealerships

Campgrounds and outdoor recreation

Cardrooms and racetracks – updated September 10

Tier status:

Widespread (purple):

Outdoor only with modifications
Racetracks may resume training and competition without live audiences, subject to approval by county public health officers

Substantial (red):

Outdoor only with modifications
Racetracks may resume training and competition without live audiences, subject to approval by county public health officers

Moderate (orange)

Indoor with modifications
Capacity must be limited to 25%
Racetracks may resume training and competition without live audiences, subject to approval by county public health officers

Minimal (yellow)

Indoor with modifications
Capacity must be limited to 50%
Racetracks may resume training and competition without live audiences, subject to approval by county public health officers

Outdoor operations of cardrooms and satellite wagering facilities

Follow this guidance for outdoor operations of cardrooms and satellite wagering facilities to support a safer environment for workers and patrons.
Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for outdoor cardrooms and satellite wagering in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Cardrooms, satellite wagering facilities, and racetracks with onsite wagering

Follow this guidance for cardrooms, racetracks, and satellite wagering to support a safer environment for workers and patrons.
Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for cardrooms, racetracks, and satellite wagering in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Childcare

Follow the guidance for the childcare industry to minimize the spread of COVID-19. Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for childcare in your facility to show employees and families that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for operation.

Follow the guidance related to cohorts of children and youth.
See the answers to frequently asked questions about cohorts and waivers for childcare providers.
Follow the case and contact management guidance related to cohorts for childcare facilities.

Cohorts for children and youth in supervised settings – updated September 4

A cohort is a stable group of no more than 14 children or youth and no more than two supervising adults in a supervised environment. The group stays together for all activities, including meals and recreation. And this group avoids contact with anyone not in their group.

Kids and adults in supervised care environments must be in groups as small as possible. Kids and supervising adults in one group must not physically interact with:

kids and supervising adults in other groups
other facility staff
parents of kids in other groups

Practicing a cohort structure:

decreases opportunities for exposure to or transmission of the virus
facilitates more efficient contact tracing in the event of a positive case
allows for targeted testing, quarantine, and isolation of a single group instead of an entire population of kids and supervising adults

The guidance related to cohorts of children and youth sets minimum guidelines for providing specialized, targeted support services, necessary in-person child supervision and limited instruction, and facilitation of distance learning in small group environments in ways that maintain the focus on health and safety to minimize transmission. This guidance enables schools to provide specialized services for students with disabilities and English learners, and in-person support for at-risk and high-need students.

See the answers to frequently asked questions about cohort guidance in K-12 school settings.
See the answers to frequently asked questions about cohorts and waivers for childcare providers.
Follow the case and contact management guidance related to cohorts for childcare facilities.

Local educational agencies, nonprofits, or other authorized providers must follow the guidance for cohorts of children and youth in controlled, supervised and indoor environments. These environments include, but are not limited to, the following:

public and private schools
licensed and license-exempt childcare settings
organized and supervised care environments, like “distance learning hubs”
recreation programs
before and after school programs
youth groups
day camps

Guidance and directives related to schools, childcare, day camps, and youth sports are not superseded by this guidance for cohorts of children and youth and still apply to those specified settings.

Communications infrastructure

Construction

Day camps

Delivery services

Energy and utilities

Family friendly practices for employers

Follow this guidance for family friendly practices for employers to keep employees safe and be responsive to their needs in order to ensure continued productivity. As workplaces reopen, employees will require both child care supports and workplace flexibility. Work-life balance policies will become even more important and continued investment in family-friendly workplace policies by employers is critical.

Food packing

Gyms and fitness centers

Tier status:

Widespread (purple):

Outdoor only with modifications
Saunas and steam rooms must close

Substantial (red):

Indoor with modifications
Capacity must be limited to 10%

Moderate (orange)

Indoor with modifications
Capacity must be limited to 25%
Indoor pools can open

Minimal (yellow)

Indoor with modifications
Capacity must be limited to 50%
Indoor pools can open
Saunas, spas, and steam rooms can open

Follow this guidance for gyms and fitness centers, including yoga and dance studios, to create a safer environment for workers and patrons.

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for gyms and fitness centers in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Hair salons and barbershops

Higher education

Tier status:

Widespread (purple):

Closed for indoor lectures and student gatherings
Some courses conducted in certain indoor settings, like labs and studio arts, may be open

Substantial (red):

Capacity for indoor lectures and student gatherings must be limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is less
Some courses conducted in certain indoor settings, like labs and studio arts, may be open at regular capacity
Conduct student activities virtually when possible

Moderate (orange):

Capacity for indoor lectures and student gatherings must be limited to 50% or 200 people, whichever is less
Some courses conducted in certain indoor settings, like labs and studio arts, may be open at regular capacity
Conduct student activities virtually when possible

Minimal (yellow):

Capacity for indoor lectures and student gatherings must be limited to 50%
Some courses conducted in certain indoor settings, like labs and studio arts, may be open at regular capacity
Conduct student activities virtually when possible

This interim guidance for institutions of higher education provides guidelines to help institutions and their communities plan and prepare to resume in-person instruction. It includes interim guidance for collegiate athletics to help plan for and prepare to resume training and competition. Review the guidance and prepare a plan to reduce the risk and support a safer environment for students, faculty, workers, and families.

Hotels, lodging, and short-term lodging rentals

Tier status:

Widespread (purple):

Open with modifications
Fitness centers can be open outdoors only with modifications
Saunas and steam rooms must close

Substantial (red):

Open with modifications
Fitness centers can open to 10% capacity

Moderate (orange)

Open with modifications
Fitness centers can open to 25% capacity
Indoor pools can open

Minimal (yellow)

Open with modifications
Fitness centers can open to 50% capacity
Indoor pools can open
Spa facilities can open

Hotels and lodging

Follow this guidance for hotels and lodging to create a safer environment for workers and customers.

Hotels, lodging, and short term rentals

Follow this guidance for hotels and short term rentals for tourism and individual travel to create a safer environment for workers and patrons.

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for hotels, lodging, and short-term rentals in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Life sciences

Limited services

Follow this guidance for Limited Services to create a safer environment for workers and patrons. A limited service is one that generally does not require close contact. Examples include:

Laundromats
Dry cleaners
Auto repair shops
Car washes
Landscapers
Door-to-door services and sales
Pet grooming
Dog walking

This guidance also applies to:

Residential and janitorial cleaning services
HVAC services
Appliance repair
Electricians
Plumbers
Mechanical tradespersons
Handypersons
General contractors

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for Limited Services in your workplace to show clients and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

This guidance is not intended for:

In-home healthcare, other in-home care, or assisted living
Services that require close customer contact, including:
- Hair salons
- Barbershops
- Nail salons
- Massage parlors
- Estheticians
- Ear piercing
- Tattoo parlors

See guidance for hair salons and barbershops and guidance for personal care services.

Faith-based counseling can reopen within the following parameters:

Counseling services are permissible in-person where the service cannot reasonably be practiced remotely;
Counseling services should adopt state guidance on Limited Services, where applicable;
This designation does not permit gatherings beyond counseling to members of a single household.

Logistics and warehousing facilities

Manufacturing

Mining and logging

Movie theaters and family entertainment centers

Tier status:

Widespread (purple)

Movie theaters: Outdoor only with modifications
Family entertainment centers: Outdoor only with modifications for activities like kart racing, mini golf, batting cages

Substantial (red)

Movie theaters:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is less
Family entertainment centers: Outdoor only with modifications for activities like kart racing, mini golf, batting cages

Moderate (orange)

Movie theaters:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 50% or 200 people, whichever is less
Family entertainment centers:
- Outdoor with modifications for activities like kart racing, mini golf, batting cages
- Indoor with modifications for naturally distanced activities, like bowling alleys and climbing walls
- Capacity must be limited to 25%

Minimal (yellow)

Movie theaters:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 50%
Family entertainment centers:
- Outdoor with modifications for activities like kart racing, mini golf, batting cages
- Indoor with modifications for naturally distanced activities, like bowling alleys and climbing walls
- Indoor with modifications for activities with increased risk of proximity and mixing, like arcade games, ice and roller skating, and indoor playgrounds
- Capacity must be limited to 50%

Follow this guidance for movie theaters and family entertainment centers, like bowling alleys, miniature golf, batting cages, and arcades, to create a safer environment for workers and patrons.

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for movie theaters and family entertainment centers in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Museums, zoos, and aquariums

Tier status:

Widespread (purple): Outdoor only with modifications

Substantial (red)

Indoor with modifications
Indoor activities must be limited to 25% of capacity

Moderate (orange)

Indoor with modifications
Indoor activities must be limited to 50% of capacity

Minimal (yellow): Indoor with modifications

Outdoor museums, open air galleries, botanical gardens, and other outdoor exhibition spaces

Follow this guidance for outdoor museums, open air galleries, botanical gardens, and other outdoor exhibition spaces to create a safer environment for workers and patrons. This guidance is not intended for zoos, amusement parks, or indoor gallery and museum spaces.
Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for outdoor museums in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Museums, galleries, botanical gardens, zoos, aquariums, and other similar spaces

Follow this guidance for zoos, museums, galleries, botanical gardens, and aquariums to create a safer environment for workers and patrons.
Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for zoos, museums, galleries, and aquariums in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Music, film, and TV production

Music, TV, and film production may resume, subject to approval by county public health officers.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, productions, cast, crew and other industry workers should abide by safety protocols agreed by labor and management, which may be further enhanced by county public health officers. Back office staff and management should follow the guidance for office workspaces.

Office workspaces

Tier status:

Widespread (purple): Remote work

Substantial (red): Remote work

Moderate (orange): Indoor with modifications, encourage telework

Minimal (yellow): Indoor with modifications, encourage telework

Follow this guidance for office workspaces to create a safer environment for workers.

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for office workspaces in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Faith-based office workspaces can reopen within the following parameters:

Faith-based facilities are considered “offices” only for those employed by the organization and where the facility is their regular place of work.
The employer should implement state guidance relating to offices before reopening the facility for employees.
This designation does not permit gatherings of non-employees, such as the organization’s congregation.

Personal care services – updated September 24

Tier status:

Widespread (purple):

Tattooing, piercing, and non-medical electrolysis must close and cannot be performed outdoors
Nail services and physician-ordered electrolysis may be performed indoors
All other services must be performed outdoors only with modifications

Substantial (red): Indoor with modifications

Moderate (orange): Indoor with modifications

Minimal (yellow): Indoor with modifications

Follow this guidance for personal care services like nail salons, tattoo parlors, and body waxing to create a safer environment for workers and patrons. This guidance applies to services that require touching a client’s face, like facials, electrolysis, and waxing. It also applies to esthetic services, skin care, and massage therapy. Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for personal care services in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

This guidance and checklist include additional considerations for:

Esthetic and skin care services
Electrology services
Nail services
Body art professionals, tattoo parlors, and piercing shops
Massage services (in non-healthcare settings)
Providing services outdoors

Places of worship and cultural ceremonies

Tier status:

Widespread (purple): Outdoor only with modifications

Substantial (red)

Indoor with modifications
Indoor activities must be limited to 25% of capacity or 100 people, whichever is less

Moderate (orange)

Indoor with modifications
Indoor activities must be limited to 50% of capacity or 200 people, whichever is less

Minimal (yellow)

Indoor with modifications
Indoor activities must be limited to 50% of capacity

Follow this guidance for places of worship and providers of religious services and cultural ceremonies, like weddings and funerals, to create a safer environment for workers and visitors.

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for places of worship and cultural ceremonies in your workplace to show workers and visitors that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Ports

Professional sports (without live audiences)

Professional sports may resume training and competition without live audiences, subject to approval by county public health officers. This guidance does not apply to semi-professional, amateur, or recreational sports.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, athletes, coaching staff, medical staff, broadcasting staff and others at sporting facilities or events should abide by COVID-19 protocols agreed by labor and management, which may be further enhanced by county public health officers. Back office staff and management should follow the guidance for office workspaces.

Public transit and intercity passenger rail

Real estate transaction

Restaurants, wineries, and bars

Tier status:

Widespread (purple)

Restaurants and wineries: Outdoor only with modifications
Bars, breweries, and distilleries: Closed

Substantial (red)

Restaurants:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is less
Wineries: Outdoor only with modifications
Bars, breweries, and distilleries: Closed

Moderate (orange)

Restaurants:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 50% or 200 people, whichever is less
Wineries:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 25% or 100 people, whichever is less
Bars, breweries, and distilleries: Outdoor only with modifications

Minimal (yellow)

Restaurants:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 50%
Wineries:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 50% or 200 people, whichever is less
Bars, breweries, and distilleries:
- Indoor with modifications
- Capacity must be limited to 50%

Take-out restaurants

Follow this guidance for restaurants providing take-out, drive-through, and delivery to create a safer environment for workers and patrons.
Review the guidance and prepare a plan for your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Outdoor dining

Follow this guidance for restaurants providing outdoor dining, take-out, drive-through, and delivery to create a safer environment for workers and patrons.
Review the guidance and prepare a plan for your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Restaurants, wineries, and bars

Follow this guidance for restaurants, wineries, and bars to create a safer environment for workers and patrons.
Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for restaurants, wineries, and bars in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Dine-in restaurants

Follow this guidance for dine-in restaurants to create a safer environment for workers and customers.
Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for dine-in restaurants in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Retail

Tier status:

Widespread (purple)

Open with modifications
Retail capacity must be limited to 25%
Grocery store capacity must be limited to 50%

Substantial (red)

Open with modifications
Retail capacity must be limited to 50%

Moderate (orange): Indoor with modifications

Minimal (yellow): Indoor with modifications

Follow this guidance for retailers to create a safer environment for workers and customers. Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for retail in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Retailers and libraries can re-open, along with the manufacturing and logistics sectors that support retail.

Libraries should follow the guidance for retailers. The State Library has also released guidance for the re-opening of libraries for in-person services. See the State Library’s COVID-19 website for more information. Find resources for public libraries by the California Library Association and the State Library.

Drive-in and movie theaters can re-open with additional considerations. Check the guidance for movie theaters and family entertainment centers for details.

Retail doesn’t include personal services such as beauty salons, but does include the sale of goods such as:

Bookstores
Jewelry stores
Toy stores
Clothing and shoe stores
Home and furnishing stores
Sporting goods stores
Florists

Retail stores identified in the essential workforce list can open for in-store shopping. They include:

Retail facilities specializing in medical goods and supplies
Grocery stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, and other retail that sells food or beverage products, and animal/pet food
Fuel centers such as gas stations and truck stops
Hardware and building materials stores, consumer electronics, technology and appliances retail

Schools

Find information for your school district.

Follow this guidance for schools and school-based programs to create a safer environment for your students, families, and staff. This guidance applies to in-person learning and distance learning.

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for schools in your facility to show students, families, and staff that you’ve taken steps to mitigate COVID-19 spread.
Check the answers to frequently asked questions about guidance for schools.
Follow the guidance related to cohorts of children and youth.
See the California Interscholastic Federation statement for information about seasonal sports.

Some schools may have reopened based on the COVID-19 and Reopening In-Person Learning Framework for K-12 Schools. These schools should follow the guidance on school closure provided in that framework when determining whether to close due to COVID-19 spread.

Elementary education waiver:

See the Waiver Process Overview for details.
Local health officers will need to submit the Waiver Notice Form to CDPH.
Schools seeking a waiver can use the template Waiver Letter and Cover Form.

Shopping centers

Tier status:

Widespread (purple):

Open with modifications
Indoor capacity must be limited to 25% for shopping malls, destination shopping centers, and swap meets
Closed common areas
Closed food courts

Substantial (red):

Open with modifications
Indoor capacity must be limited to 50% for shopping malls, destination shopping centers, and swap meets
Closed common areas
Reduced capacity food courts (see restaurants)

Moderate (orange):

Open with modifications
Closed common areas
Reduced capacity food courts (see restaurants)

Minimal (yellow):

Open with modifications
Reduced capacity food courts (see restaurants)

Follow this guidance for shopping centers, destination shopping centers, strip and outlet malls, and swap meets to create a safer environment for workers and customers.

Review the guidance, prepare a plan, and post the checklist for shopping centers in your workplace to show customers and employees that you’ve reduced the risk and are open for business.

Support for working families

Youth sports

Follow this guidance for youth sports programs, including school-based, club, and recreational programs. Review the guidance and prepare a plan to support a safe environment for players, coaches and trainers, families, spectators, event/program/facility managers, workers, and volunteers.

Check the questions and answers about youth sports.
Follow the guidance related to cohorts of children and youth.