View more from News & Articles or Primerus Weekly

By Blair C. Lane, Sr.
Earp Cohn P.C.
Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Re-Opening NJ?
What You Need to Know

As the situation evolves, I want to ensure that you that I am here to assist you with any legal matter or questions you may have.

As the coronavirus situation continues to play out, I want to assure you that my law firm, Earp Cohn, P.C., is fully functional and continuing to advocate for you.

I remain available to speak with you by telephone, or to correspond with you by email, should feel free to contact us.

Our receptionist continues to answer the firm’s main lines personally from the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. You can always reach me on my cell phone.

Important NJ Updates and Executive Orders:

Re-Open New Jersey

Gov. Phil Murphy is expected to announce today Monday that outdoor dining, hair salons, and nonessential retail stores in New Jersey will soon be allowed to reopen, with restrictions.

Executive Orders:

Effective 6:00 a.m. on June 15, 2020, child care centers and other child care facilities are permitted to resume operations for all clients, provided that they comply with the COVID-19 Child Care and Youth Summer Camp Standards and other applicable statutes, regulations, and Executive Orders.

Effective June 22, 2020, insofar as it applies to sporting activities in outdoor settings that do not involve person-to-person contact or routinely entail individuals interacting within six feet of one another are permitted.

Youth summer camps shall be permitted to operate on or after Monday, July 6, 2020, provided that they comply with the COVID-19 Child Care and Youth Summer Camp Standards and other applicable statutes, regulations, and Executive Order.

Youth residential and overnight camps are prohibited from operating at this time.

The Dep of Health shall impose Standards for COVID-19 Related Health and Safety Applicable in New Jersey Child Care and Youth Summer Camp Settings (“COVID-19 Child Care and Youth Summer Camp Standards”).

The following outdoor recreational businesses or activities that were closed by paragraph 9 of Executive Order No. 107 (2020) are permitted to reopen to the public or their members: a. Archery ranges; b. Batting cages; c. Golf driving ranges; d. Horseback riding; e. Shooting ranges; and f. Tennis clubs.

Golf courses may adopt a policy that allows: a. Tee-times available to four players; b. Forecaddies; c. Club and equipment rentals, provided that such policy requires: i. Rental equipment be limited to one person, excluding immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners; and ii. Protocols for cleaning and disinfecting equipment that is rented, in accordance with CDC and DOH guidelines.

Outdoor Gatherings:

The capacity of outdoor gatherings must be limited to no more than 25 people at the same time with 6 feet of social distancing; whether on public or private property, and all attendees remain outdoors at all times during the gathering, with the sole exception of restroom use; Open-air rain tarps, tents, and other outdoor structures shall be allowed solely for the purpose of protecting against foul weather or for shade; All attendees at the gathering are required to be six feet apart from other attendees at all times, excluding immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners; All individuals at the gathering should wear face coverings at all times where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain,

Indoor Gatherings:

Where a gathering takes place indoors, or otherwise does not adhere to either the requirements of Paragraph 1 of this Order or to the requirements of Executive Order No. 142 (2020) relating to car gatherings, then gatherings of 10 persons or fewer remain in compliance with Paragraph 5 of Executive Order No. 107 (2020), while gatherings of more than 10 persons remain in violation of that Executive Order.

Ready to hit the Boardwalk and beaches? Here are a few points you need to know and what the towns are required to do:

Impose non-discriminatory capacity restrictions including, but not limited to: Limiting the number of available seasonal and daily beach tags;

Require that members of the public practice social distancing while present at all public and private beaches, boardwalks, lakes, and lake shores, including staying six feet apart whenever practicable, excluding immediate family members, caretakers, household members, or romantic partners.

Remove, tape-off, or otherwise block access to all benches and tables to discourage gatherings;

Prohibit the tying together or “rafting up” of boats to discourage group gatherings;

Prohibit impermissible gatherings of individuals, including special events such as festivals, concerts, fireworks, and movies,

Limit occupancy in public restrooms that remain open to avoid over-crowding and maintain social distancing

All employees and visitors are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings when present on the public and private beaches, boardwalks, lakes, and lake shores in any settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health or where the individual is under two years of age,

All restaurants, cafeterias, dining establishments, and food courts, with or without a liquor license, all bars, and all other holders of a liquor license with retail consumption privileges located on the public and private beaches, boardwalks, and lake shores, including concessions, snack bars, and food trucks, shall remain limited to offering only food delivery and/or take-out services

Amusement parks and arcades, as well as other places of public amusement located on the public and private beaches, boardwalks, and lake shores, shall remain closed

The restrictions shall also apply to all public piers, docks, wharfs, boat ramps, and boat landings throughout the State,

4/24/2020 Tenants can use and Landlords can accept and apply security deposits toward the payment of rent in a residential unit - click below

No cable or telecommunications provider that provides residential internet and voice services to New Jersey residents shall terminate such internet and voice service due to nonpayment - click below

Important Announcements:

New Jersey tax filing deadline is extended from April 15th to July 15th to match the Federal Tax Deadline

PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS MAY BE DELAYED - Any governing body of a municipality with a calendar year budget cycle may adopt a resolution instituting a grace period concluding on a date no later than June 1, 2020 for the payment of second-quarter property taxes - click below

Our nation's small businesses are facing an unprecedented economic disruption due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. On Friday, March 27, 2020, the President signed into law the CARES Act, which contains $376 billion in relief for American workers and small businesses.

Beginning Friday, April 3, 2020, small businesses, including nonprofits and sole proprietorships, can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and certain other expenses through existing SBA lenders. 

Starting Friday, April 10, 2020, independent contractors and self-employed individuals can apply for and receive loans to cover their payroll and other certain expenses through existing SBA lenders. 

See important Federal Links below

Contact me if you or your company need assistance in applying for funds available under the CARES Act.

Important Links

Federal Government

New Jersey

Pennsylvania