The Governor of Connecticut signed an executive order requiring the wearing of face masks or face coverings by anyone in public in situations where a six-foot distance could not be maintained. This directive included employees while in the workplace. An exclusion applies for those for whom face masks would be contrary to their safety or medical conditions.
The Commissioner of Economic and Community Development updated the Safe Workplace Rules to include this directive as follows:
“Masks or Cloth Face Coverings Required”
- Each employee shall be required to wear a mask or other cloth material that covers his or her mouth and nose while in the workplace, except to the extent an employee is using break time to eat or drink. Employers shall issue such masks or cloth face coverings to their employees. In the event an employer is unable to provide masks or cloth face coverings to employees because of shortages or supply chain difficulties, employers must provide the materials and CDC tutorial about how to create a cloth face covering or compensate employees for the reasonable and necessary costs employees expend on such materials to make their own masks or cloth face covering.
- In workplace settings where employees are working alone in segregated spaces (i.e. cubicles with walls, private offices, etc.), employees may remove their masks. However, workers shall wear a mask or face covering from the time they enter the building until the time they arrive at their cubicle/work station and at any time they are leaving their work station and moving around common areas (i.e. in hallways and stairwells, going to the restroom or break room, etc.). For employees working in congregate settings (i.e. open manufacturing floors, warehouses, areas open to the public, shared offices, or similar settings), those workers shall wear a face covering as above, as well as when they are at their work station. In addition, continuous wearing of masks is not required in outdoor workspaces where employees do not regularly come within six feet of other employees.
- Nothing in these rules shall require the use of a mask or cloth face covering by anyone for whom doing so would be contrary to his or her health or safety because of a medical condition.
- If a person declines to wear a mask or cloth face covering because of a medical condition as described above, such person shall not be required to produce medical documentation verifying the stated condition.
- Require all customers to wear cloth face coverings while on premises. Nothing in these rules shall prohibit a business from issuing face coverings to customers or other visitors upon or prior to entry. Nothing in these rules shall require the use of a mask or cloth face covering by anyone for whom doing so would be contrary to his or her health or safety due to a medical condition, by a child in a child care setting, anyone under the age of two years, or by an older child if the parent, guardian or person responsible for the child is unable to place the mask safely on the child’s face.
- If a person declines to wear a mask or cloth face covering because of a medical condition as described above, such person shall not be required to produce medical documentation verifying the stated condition.”