On March 22, 2020 Governor Polis issued an Executive Order, directing all of Colorado’s non-critical employers to reduce their in-person workforce by 50 percent. The executive order directs all employers to implement tele-work options to the greatest extent possible. If tele-work is not practical or possible, employers are encouraged to stagger work schedules to reduce the proximity of employees during work hours and to keep employees on payroll. This Executive Order does not apply to any employer that can certify that employees are no closer than six feet from one another during any part of their work hours. The order exempts critical workplaces, including construction and electricity generation. The order took effect on Monday, March 23, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. and is set to last through 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 10, 2020.
We encourage you to closely review the terms of this executive order, discuss it among your team, and review it with your legal counsel. For our part, COSSA has been in communication with the Governor’s office to obtain any more specific direction about how this executive order applies to our industry’s activities and operations. The following are some guidelines that we have received, which are informal only and not intended to be relied upon or serve as a substitute for your own legal review and interpretation of the order.
1. Remote sales, O&M, solar installation, and construction are allowed at this time.
2. Companies should follow social-distancing best practices, and ensure that their workers and customers are not put at risk.
3. Companies should not conduct door to door sales at this time.
4. Companies should follow both the state order and local orders. If a local order is more specific in certain areas, it should be followed.
We will continue to provide updates to our members as new information on workplace rules affecting our industry become available.
We recommend that companies do not reach out to the Governor’s office at this time for additional guidance. If you need additional clarification, we recommend reaching out to COSSA and we can work through our lobbyist as needed.
COSSA Members are invited to join our monthly member call on Thursday (March 26, 4:00-5:00pm MT) to hear the latest federal news and updates from SEIA’s Director of Congressional Affairs Shaun Garrison, as well as the COSSA team about state and local policies. If you need the call-in number, please contact Griffin Crafts (gcrafts@cossa.co).