District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser has ordered all nonessential businesses in the District to close effective Wednesday at 10 p.m. Businesses that must close includes tour companies, hair salons, barbershops, tattoo parlors, gyms, and other businesses not related to emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mayor Bowser has provided that nonessential businesses can continue to telework. Read, Bowser full order here.
Here’s a breakdown of What Businesses Must Close In Washington, D.C.:
What stays open in DC
- Health care and public health operations like hospitals, clinics, dentists and medical marijuana dispensaries;
- Grocery stores, supermarkets, licensed farmers’ markets, food banks, convenience stores and liquor stores;
- Laundromats, dry cleaners and laundry service providers;
- Restaurants and other businesses that prepare and serve food — but only for delivery or carryout. The order includes food trucks;
- Gas stations and auto repair shops;
- Financial institutions like banks and credit unions;
- Businesses that ship or deliver goods to consumers;
- Taxis, ride-sharing services and other private transportation businesses;
- Housing and living facilities, including hotels (but no conference facilities);
- Essential infrastructure such as public works and utilities.
Bowser’s full order is available at D.C.’s website
Legal Options for What Business Must Close in Washington D.C.
Whether your business has been asked to close or is allowed to stay open, understanding your legal rights is important to your success. This includes what to do if your business is allowed to stay open and one of your employees contracts COVID-19 while working. Another example is what you can do as far as cutting employee wages or working with your landlord to lessen or move rent payments if you have lost considerable amounts of business. Finally, there are multiple legal options that you can exercise if you need to break a lease or other business contract and want to avoid legal reparations for doing so. For more information on what business must close in Washington D.C., schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys.