Guidelines for Business
Blueprint for a Safer Economy
California has a new blueprint for reducing COVID-19 in the state with revised criteria for loosening and tightening restrictions on activities. Starting on August 31, 2020, every county in California is assigned to a tier based on its rate of new cases and positivity. At a minimum, counties must remain in a tier for at least 3 weeks before moving forward. Data is reviewed weekly and tiers are updated on Tuesdays. To move forward, a county must meet the next tier’s criteria for two consecutive weeks. If a county’s metrics worsen for two consecutive weeks, it will be assigned a more restrictive tier. Public health officials are constantly monitoring data and can step in if necessary.
To find the status of activities in Merced County, please visit the State of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy website.
Please view the Merced County Blueprint for a Safer Economy Business Tiers and Allowed Activities Table to learn business activity details for each tier.
To assist local businesses with informing their customers about allowed occupancy numbers within their facilities, flyers for posting in public view as desired have been created and may be downloaded below.
To determine the maximum capacity, you may find this information by using any one the following methods:
- Placard posted within the business
- Original Occupancy Certification
- Original Building Plans
- Contacting the Local Building Department
Once the maximum capacity is known, then determine the percentage (%) maximum capacity allowed for the Business Sector and Tier (e.g., Retail is 50%). Then, subtract the number of employees from the percentage allowed, and this will give you the number of customers allowed.
EXAMPLE: 50% of 100 people maximum capacity for Retail business = 50 people allowed
50 people allowed – 10 employees working = 40 customers allowed (Customer capacity)
Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening
The Employer Playbook for a Safe Reopening provides guidance for employers to help them plan and prepare for reopening their business and to support a safe, clean environment for workers and customers. The guidance and links in each section are provided to give employers the tools they need to open safely and mitigate risks associated with COVID-19.
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