Dear Friends,
Sunday, June 28th marks the 50th Anniversary of New York City’s PRIDE March. While the NYC Pride March has grown into one of the largest celebrations of the LGBTQ+ community, this milestone year gives us pause to remember its roots in protest, an extension of the Stonewall uprising. It is a testament to the city’s role in advancing many of the major social justice movements of our time. New York City time and again has proven to be a place of remarkable transformation.
This week, New York City entered Phase 2 of Reopening and there is a renewed energy in the air as New Yorkers queue up for haircuts at the barber or salon before returning to their offices or their favorite local shops. More open streets are coming online, some with Cool Streets and Street Oases, and next week the beaches will open for swimming. It’s feeling a bit more like summer in the city, thanks to our collective hard work.
The strength of the city’s recovery is predicated on a continued commitment of all New Yorkers to follow public health guidance and official guidelines for phased reopening of businesses.
The City urges all New Yorkers to get tested for COVID-19. There are now over 200 testing sites citywide, along with at least 10 mobile units in order to reach as many people as possible. To find the nearest testing site, visit
nyc.gov/covidtest. New Yorkers with symptoms or questions about COVID-19 can connect to a medical provider free of charge 9am to 9pm by calling 1-844-NYC-4NYC.
The Office of Nightlife has launched the “It’s Up to You, New York” public awareness campaign to encourage restaurants and bars, patrons and residents to work together to ensure that the rollout of New York City’s Open Restaurants allows people to socialize responsibly. The State's Executive Order makes businesses responsible for ensuring compliance with open container and social distancing rules within 100 feet of their premises. Patrons who are just picking up orders are reminded to “
Take Out, Don’t Hang Out.” Business owners can download window posters here.
Information about Restaurant Reopening is available at nyc.gov/restaurantreopening or by calling the Department of Small Business Services hotline at 888-SBS-4NYC.
The Film Office is now accepting permit applications for production activity commencing on July 1 or later, including principal photography with up to 10 cast and crew members. Production guidelines and an FAQ are posted on the
Film Permit website. Applicants should review the guidelines and FAQ before submitting permit applications. Please note that the Film Office is operating remotely, so please allow additional time for Film Permit processing.
We are currently reviewing guidance for Phases 3 and 4 of reopening and will continue to update in the coming days.
RESOURCES FOR PHASE 2 BUSINESSES
Under the state’s New York Forward plan, each business must develop a written Safety Plan for preventing the spread of COVID-19. Businesses may
fill out this template or develop their own Safety Plan, which must be conspicuously posted on site and made available to the New York State Department of Health or New York City health or safety authorities in the event of an inspection.
Information and guidelines for businesses reopening in Phase 2 are available at NYC.gov/nycbusiness.
The
NYC Department of Small Business Services (SBS) is offering New York business owners a
new set of resources to help them navigate the recovery and re-opening process. Small Business Advocates and Compliance Advisors will monitor a
small business hotline — 888-SBS-4NYC or 888-727-4692 — to answer questions about the latest guidelines and regulations. SBS is also hosting
Small Business Resource Fairs to provide information about requirements and guidelines to re-opening, safety plans, financial assistance, regulatory changes, employee support, licensing, inspections, and more.
The
NYC Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) offers information about reopening requirements and health and safety guidelines for the workplace, including
FAQs for NYC Workers and an
update about workplace laws for employers and employees to stop the spread of COVID-19. In addition, they have set up a
Worker Protection Hotline at 311 or 1-212-436-0381 for questions about reopening or to report an employer that is not following reopening requirements.
DCWP and SBS also are working with business-serving partner organizations throughout the five boroughs to distribute
two million free face coverings citywide to small businesses and their employees. If you are a small business looking to secure free face coverings for your employees,
information is available here.
The Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Council at SBS has launched the
NYC PPE + Reopening Supplies Marketplace. The Marketplace provides a one-stop-shop for easy-to-access suppliers of (i) face masks and coverings, (ii) face shields, (iii) gloves, (iv) cleaning and disinfectant products, (v) physical barriers and portable furniture, and (vi) other supplies needed for re-opening, It represents both local and national suppliers and manufacturers to provide a wide-range of order minimums.
