EXECUTIVE ORDER OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY EMERGENCY POLICY
GROUP SAFER AT HOME DIRECTIVE AND CURFEW ORDER
IN RESPONSE TO A COUNTY WIDE THREAT FROM THE COVID -19 VIRUS

Upon motion by
adopted by a vote of
voting NO:

, seconded by
, the following Executive Order was
to

;

WHEREAS, on March 12, 2020, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group did
convene and issue its Executive Order declaring a local state of emergency for all of Hillsborough
County, which Order was extended by the Emergency Policy Group on March 19, 2020, and
again on March 26, 2020; and
WHEREAS, the State of Florida and Hillsborough County are continuing to experience
increased reports of illnesses and persons testing positive for the virus; and
WHEREAS, on March 1, 2020 the Governor of the State of Florida issued Executive
Order Number 20-51, declaring that a public health emergency exists throughout the State of
Florida as a result of the spread of the COVID-19 virus; and
WHEREAS, on March 9, 2020 the Governor of the State of Florida issued Executive
Order Number 20-52, declaring that a state of emergency exists throughout the State of Florida
as a result of the spread of the COVID-19 virus and its imminent threat to health and welfare of
the citizens of Florida; and
WHEREAS, on March 17, 2020 the Governor of the State of Florida issued Executive
Order Number 20-68, placing restrictions on certain businesses and public gathering locations
throughout the State of Florida as a result of the spread of the COVID-19 virus and its imminent
threat to health and welfare of the citizens of Florida; and
WHEREAS, all three Executive Orders of the Governor remain in effect and are forecast
to remain so for the foreseeable future; and
WHEREAS, on March 20, 2020, Administrator Order Number 20-05 entitled
Hillsborough County Administrator Order Updating COVID-19 Limitations for Establishments
and Gatherings was issued and remains effective, incorporating by reference the Governor’s
Executive Orders 20-68 and 20-71, specifies all public or private gatherings, including
community, civic, public leisure, faith-based events, sporting events, concerts and any similar
events that bring together more than 10 people in a single room, single space, or any venue, at
the same time are prohibited. This prohibition does not include venues that provide essential
goods or services such as grocery stores, hospitals, medical facilities, pharmacies, gas stations,
bank/credit unions, shelters, and government agencies and their meetings; and

1

 WHEREAS, Administrator Order Number 20-05 specifies any gathering of 10 or less
people should have the capacity to provide individuals with a 6 foot distance between each
person.
WHEREAS, there has been no indication that the spread of COVID-19 is slowing in the
State of Florida and Hillsborough County; and
WHEREAS, Hillsborough County must continue to take emergency action to lessen the
spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, there is reason to believe that COVID-19 is spread amongst the population
by various means of exposure, including the propensity to spread person to person and the
propensity to attach to surfaces for prolonged periods of time thereby creating a dangerous
physical condition spreading from surface to person and causing increased infections to persons,
and also creating property or business income loss and damage in certain circumstances; and
WHEREAS, this Executive Order is being issued because of the propensity of COVID19 to spread from person to person causing widespread infection and loss of life, and also because
COVID-19 is causing property damage and business income loss due to its proclivity to attach
to surfaces for prolonged periods of time and thereby creating a dangerous physical condition;
and
WHEREAS, as a governmental civil authority action, it is necessary to impose the
regulations and restrictions set forth herein in response to the dangerous physical conditions that
currently exists and to stop the COVID-19 virus from spreading; and
WHEREAS, Chapter 252, Florida Statutes, and Hillsborough County Ordinance 06-13
(Hillsborough County Code of Laws and Ordinances, part A, Chapter 22, Article II, Sections 2219 Through 22-30), authorizes Hillsborough County to declare a state of local emergency; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 22, Article I, Sections 22-22, Hillsborough County Code of
Ordinances and Laws (Hillsborough County Emergency Management Ordinance), and the
Hillsborough County Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan delegates authority to
declare a state of local emergency to the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group; and
WHEREAS, Section 252.38, Florida Statutes, authorizes Hillsborough County to declare
a state of local emergency, and further authorizes Hillsborough County to take whatever prudent
action is necessary to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the community; and
WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group wants to take effective
and reasonable steps to protect the health of residents and the community; and
WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group does not want to create
long-term irreparable economic harm to our residents, businesses, and to the local and regional
economy; and

2

 WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group recognizes unified
action is paramount to ensure the most effective results and cause the least confusion and panic
in the community; and
WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group recognizes the
categories and types of essential businesses and services that must remain open; and
WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group wants the types of
businesses that by definition cannot continue to remain open because they are unable to maintain
the required physical distancing to keep customers safe to close; and
WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group wants a measured,
reasonable and unified direction for the entire county by the EPG as the elected representatives
of residents; and
WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group wants personal
responsibility by businesses and residents to observe the mandatory behaviors that have been
proven to mitigate the spread of the virus; and
WHEREAS, during a declared state of local emergency, the Hillsborough County
Emergency Management Ordinance, and the Hillsborough County Comprehensive Emergency
Management Plan authorizes the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group the power to
institute a curfew in all or part of the County if it deems such action necessary for the preservation
of health, safety, life, or other emergency mitigation, response, or recovery; and
WHEREAS, the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy Group has determined that a
Safer-At-Home directive and curfew order applicable throughout Hillsborough County is a
reasonable and prudent action to take in order to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of the
residents of Hillsborough County.; and
WHEREAS, a “Safer At Home” order of the Hillsborough County Emergency Policy
Group is a directive that:


Is less restrictive than total lockdowns or shelter-in-place regulations which prohibit
movement outside of the home or a particular location until further notice;



Encourages citizens to stay at home as much as possible during the continued COVID19 crisis and allows travel outside the home to essential activities (e.g. grocery shopping,
outdoor activities, doctor's and pharmacy visits, and providing essential infrastructure and
utility services);



Allows non-essential activities, so long as social distancing and other CDC Public Health
Mitigation Strategies requirements are followed; and

• Applies to all of the unincorporated and incorporated areas of Hillsborough County.
 

3

 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE EMERGENCY POLICY
GROUP OF HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA, IN A MEETING ASSEMBLED
THIS 26th DAY OF MARCH, 2020 THAT:
1.
A Safer-At-Home Directive and Curfew Order is hereby established within all
incorporated and unincorporated areas of Hillsborough County, effective as of 10:00 p.m. on
March 27, 2020. encouraging all residents to say at home. This Safer-At-Home Directive and
Curfew Order shall continue on a daily basis until this order expires or is rescinded. Residents
are directed to stay at home except in those circumstances outlined below. Safer-At-Home means
all residents are directed to stay at home as much as possible twenty-four hours a day, seven days
a week, except in those circumstances outlined below. This Safer-At-Home Directive and Curfew
Order shall continue on a daily basis until this order expires or is rescinded.
2.
Additionally, a curfew is hereby established within all incorporated and
unincorporated areas of Hillsborough County, effective as of 10:00 p.m. on March 27, 2020.
Mondays through Fridays, the curfew hours shall run from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. the following
morning. Beginning each Friday night at 10:00 p.m., a 24 hour continuous curfew will be in place
through Monday at 5:00 a.m. These curfew hours shall continue on a daily basis until this order
expires or is rescinded.
3.
Unless exempted in paragraph 4 below, all pedestrian and vehicular movement,
standing and parking, or any other outdoor activity, unless it is on one’s own property, is
prohibited during curfew hours. Residents are permitted, however, the unlimited ability to get
the necessary food, medicine and essentials. Residents are also permitted to recreate and enjoy
the outdoors at any time as long as physical distancing is observed along with the other
recommended sanitary requirements.
4.
This Safer-At-Home Directive and Curfew Order shall not apply to the following
essential individuals, businesses and services:
a.

Essential federal employees and military personnel who are acting within
their employment responsibilities, and are already governed by directives
of their respective federal agencies.

b.

State and local government employees providing services to carry on
government functions during this state of emergency and persons
attending government meetings.

c.

School district employees providing services to carry on school district
functions during this state of emergency.

c.d.

Private colleges, trade schools, and technical colleges, but only as needed
to facilitate online or distance learning, perform critical research, or
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 perform essential functions, and university, college, or technical college
residence halls, but only to the extent needed to accommodate students
who cannot return to their homes. 
e.

Medical and health related personnel while actively pursuing medical or
health related activities. This includes personnel employed in the
production of medical or health related products.

d.f.

Healthcare providers and public health operations (except to the extent
precluded by the Governor's Executive Order 20-72 or any subsequent
Executive Order), including but not limited to: hospitals; doctors' and
dentists' offices; urgent care centers, clinics, and rehabilitation facilities;
physical therapists; mental health professionals; psychiatrists; therapists;
research and laboratory services; blood banks, medical cannabis facilities;
medical equipment, devices, and other healthcare manufacturers and
suppliers; reproductive health care providers; eye care centers; home
healthcare services providers; substance abuse providers; medical
transport services; and pharmacies

e.g.

Mass transit personnel while pursuing employment functions.

f.h.

Persons seeking medical treatment, persons transporting people seeking
medical treatment, or caregivers traveling to assist another person with
medical or caregiving needs.

g.i.

Fire/Rescue, Law Enforcement, or other First Responder personnel
pursuing, or traveling to or from work related activities.

h.j.

Individuals preparing or delivering food and drink items pursuant to
County Administrator Order 20-05.

i.k.

Persons commuting directly to and from places of employment.

j.l.

This Order shall not prohibit a person from walking a companion animal
in the vicinity of their residence so long as social distancing guidelines
are observed. Animal care staff (including volunteers)Persons traveling to
provide support, obtain care and/or supplies for one’s own companion
animals or the companion animals of another, or in the course of fostering
animals.

k.m.

Grocery stores, farmers’ markets, farm and produce stands,
supermarkets, food banks, convenience stores, and other establishments
primarily engaged in the retail sale of canned food, dry goods, fresh
fruits and vegetables, baby products, pet supply, liquor, fresh or frozen
meats, fish, and poultry, and any other household consumer products
(such as cleaning and personal care products). This includes stores that
5

 sell groceries and also sell other non-grocery products, and products
necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operations
of residences and other structures.
l.n.

Newspapers, television, radio, delivery and other media services.

m.o.

Gas stations, auto- and recreational vehicle supply, and repair, auto repair,
new and used vehicle sales and related facilities. to include auto
dealerships.

n.p.

Businesses engaged in food cultivation, including farming, livestock, and
fishing.

o.q.

Businesses that provide food, shelter, social services, and other
necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy
individuals.

p.r.

Hardware, gardening, and building material stores.

q.s.

Contractors, utility workers and other tradesmen, building management
and maintenance (including janitorial companies serving commercial
businesses), home security firms, fire and water damage restoration,
public adjusters, appliance repair personnel, exterminators, pool and lawn
care and golf course maintenance, and other service providers who
provide services that are necessary to maintaining the safety,
sanitation, and essential operation of residences and other structures.

r.t.

Businesses primarily providing mailing, logistics, pick-up, and shipping
services, including post office boxes, logistic providers, including
warehouses, trucking, consolidators, fumigators and handlers.

s.u.

Laundromats, dry cleaners, and laundry service providers.

t.v.

Businesses engaged in providing home-based care for seniors, adults, or
children, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, adult day care centers,
and home-based and residential settings for adults, seniors, children
and/or people with disabilities or mental illness.

u.

Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees exempted
in this Emergency Order to work as permitted.

w.

Businesses engaged in the provision of office space and administrative
support necessary to perform any of the above-listed activities.

v.x.

Businesses that primarily supply office products needed for people to
work from home, but not including businesses that primarily sell or lease
6

 furniture.
w.y.

Hotels, motels, other commercial lodging establishments, and temporary
vacation rentals.

x.z.

Veterinarians and pet boarding facilities.

y.aa.

Mortuaries, funeral homes, and cemeteries including funeral and
cremation services.

z.bb.

Firearm and ammunition supply stores.

aa.cc. Any business that employs five (5) or fewer persons, including
management / ownership, where the employees do not come in regular
contact with the general public in the regular course of business.
bb.dd. Moving, storage and relocation services.
cc.ee. Private and municipal marinas and boat launches, docking, fueling,
marine supply, and other marine services.
dd.ff. Individuals whose residences are unsafe or become unsafe, such as
victims of domestic violence, are permitted and urged to leave their
residence and stay at a safe alternative location. For purposes of this
order, residences include hotels, motels, shared rental units, shelters, and
similar facilities.
ee.gg. Janitorial personnel.
ff.hh. Personnel supporting educational needs.
gg.ii. Religious personnel.
hh.jj.

Any parent or guardian transporting a child or children pursuant to a
custody sharing agreement or order.

ii.kk. Airlines, taxis and other private transportation providers providing
transportation services via, automobile, truck, boat, bus or train.
jj.ll.

Childcare facilities providing services that enable employees exempted
in this order to work as permitted. To the extent possible, these childcare
facilities should operate under the following conditions: Childcare must
be carried out in stable groups of 10 or fewer (inclusive of childcare
providers for the group); children and child care providers shall not
change from one group to another; if more than one group of children is
cared for at one facility, each group shall be in a separate room. Groups
shall not mix or interact with each other. All play equipment used by one
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 group of children must be cleaned and sanitized before use by another
group of children. Any child exhibiting symptoms consistent with
COVID-19 illness shall not be allowed to stay in the childcare facility.
kk.mm. Animal care staff (including volunteers) who own, operate, or work in the

capacity of providing continued care of animals at rescue organizations,
boarding facilities, veterinarians and similar businesses, whether or not
housed in a shelter.
ll.nn.

Attorneys and all personnel associated with supporting essential court
proceedings including all federal, state, and county personnel.

mm.oo.

Persons commuting directly to or from an exempted activity.

nn.pp. Personnel employed by an entity identified as one of the sixteen critical
infrastructure sectors by the Cyber-Infrastructure Security Agency
(CISA) of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security when pursuing
work related functions, or traveling directly to or from work and their
respective residents. The CISA essential infrastructure guide is attached
to and made a part of this Order. See pages 5-11 of the CISA essential
infrastructure guide for detailed descriptions of these critical
infrastructure sectors.
5.
Essential Infrastructure. For purposes of this Order, individuals may leave their
residence to provide any services or perform any work necessary to offer, provision, operate, maintain
and repair Essential Infrastructure. Essential Infrastructure includes, but is not limited to: food
production, distribution, and sale; construction; building management and maintenance; airport
operations; operation and maintenance of utilities, including water, sewer, and gas; electrical
(including power generation, distribution, and production of raw materials); distribution centers;
roads, highways, railroads, and public transportation; cybersecurity operations; flood control; solid
waste and recycling collection and removal; and internet, video, and telecommunications systems
(including the provision of essential global, national, and local infrastructure for computing services,
business infrastructure, communications, and web-based services). Essential Infrastructure shall be
construed broadly to avoid any impacts to essential infrastructure, broadly defined.
6.
Businesses which are not described above in paragraph 4, and are able to maintain
the required physical distancing (6 feet) may operate except during curfew hours.
7.
Businesses which are not described above in paragraph 4 and which, by the nature
of their business cannot remain open because they are unable to maintain the required physical
distancing (6 feet) to keep employees and customers safe, must close.
8.
Businesses providing essential services whose function and safety allow them to
maintain the required physical distance (6 feet), and those businesses that are providing nonessential services that are able to maintain the required physical distancing (6 feet) shall:

8

 a.
Insure employees are adhering to social distancing and other health care
guidelines as established by the Florida Department of Health in regards to such
categories as: Individuals and Families at Home; Schools, Charter Schools,
Special Needs Schools and Childcare; Assisted Living Facilities, Senior Living
Facilities and Adult Day Care Programs; Workplace; Community and FaithBased Organizations; Health Care Settings and Health Care Provider – including
outpatients, nursing homes/long-term care facilities, inpatients, and telehealth.
b.
Continue using best practices, as set forth by the Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), to reduce
the risk of worker exposure to coronavirus or COVID-19 in workplaces and
prevent widespread transmission in communities, including, but not limited to:
i.

ii.

iii.

iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
ix.

c.

Promoting frequent and thorough hand washing, including by
providing a place to wash their hands or providing alcohol-based
hand rubs containing at least 60% alcohol.
Maintaining regular housekeeping practices, including routine
cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces, equipment, and other
elements of the work environment, including providing trash
receptacles, as needed.
Exploring creative and flexible policies and practices for flexible
worksites and flexible work hours to increase the physical distance
among employees and others in the workplace;
Promoting social distancing requirements (about 6 feet or 2
meters).
Discouraging workers from using other workers’ phones, desks,
offices, or other work tools and equipment, when possible.
Taking employees’ temperatures with a thermometer to try and
ward off the spread of the coronavirus.
Encouraging employees to safertay home if they are sick.
Encouraging respiratory etiquette, including covering coughs and
sneezes.
Considering requiring employees to complete a travel
questionnaire to assess risks of contamination in the workplace.

Direct workers to telecommute when that is feasible.

d.
Use best efforts to provide employment opportunities to those who lose
jobs because of this emergency by working directly with CareerSource and other
designated employment and job agencies.
9.
Individuals experiencing homelessness are exempt from this order, but are strongly
urged to obtain shelter, and governmental and other entities are strongly urged to make such shelter
available as soon as possible and to the maximum extent practicable (and to use in their operation
COVID-19 risk mitigation practices recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) and the Florida Department of Health.
9

 10.
Hotels, motels, other commercial lodging establishments, and temporary vacation
rentals, subject to the limitations stated in the Governor's Executive Order 20-70. Hotels, motels,
and other commercial lodging establishments shall not accept new reservations for persons other
than Essential Lodgers. "Essential Lodgers" are defined as: (a) healthcare professionals; (b) first
responders; (c) National Guard members; (d) law enforcement; (e) state or federal government
employees;· (f) airline crewmembers; (g) patients; (h) patients' families; (i) journalists; (j) others
providing direct services in response to COVID-19; (k) displaced residents or visitors; (l) persons
utilizing hotels as transitional living arrangements; (m) persons sheltering in hotels due to
domestic violence; (n) hotel employees, service providers, and contractors; or (o) individuals
who, for any reason, are temporarily unable to reside in their home due to exigent circumstances.
11.
Local businesses that produce and provide essential necessities– such as food,
medicines, medical equipment and supplies – will make best efforts to prioritize those goods for
the use of Hillsborough County.
12.
Local businesses that have the ability to do so shall alter their production and
manufacturing in order to provide products to meet the need in the County for critical testing,
collection, protective gear and treatments.
13.
Those with the financial means are encouraged to increase their financial support
to local charities and organizations that provide direct social service and employment services to
displaced workers.
14.
This Order is an addendum to the Executive Order adopted by the Emergency
Policy Group of Hillsborough County, Florida, in its special meeting of March 12, 2020, as
extended on March 19, 2020, and March 26, 2020, and is incorporated into that Executive Order
as it may be amended.
15.
It is the intent of this Order to seek voluntary compliance with the provisions
contained herein and to educate and warn of the dangers of non-compliance. However, in the
event voluntary compliance is not achieved then in that event and as a last resort, a violation of
this Order, pursuant to the provision of section 252.50, Florida Statutes, may be prosecuted as a
second degree misdemeanor punishable as provided in section 775.082 or 775.083, F.S.

10

 I, PAT FRANK, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Ex Officio Clerk of the Board of the
County Commissioners of Hillsborough County, Florida, do hereby certify that the above and
foregoing Order has been filed with this office as an attachment to the Executive Order adopted
by the Emergency Policy Group of Hillsborough County on March 12, 2020.
WITNESS my hand and official seal this 26th day of March, 2020.

PAT FRANK
Clerk of Circuit Court

BY: __________________________
Deputy Clerk
APPROVED BY THE COUNTY ATTORNEY

By: __________________________________
Approved as to Form and Legal Sufficiency

11

 U.S. Department of Homeland
Security Cybersecurity &
Infrastructure Security Agency Office
of the Director

Washington, DC 20528

March 19, 2020

MEMORANDUM ON IDENTIFICATION OF ESSENTIAL CRITICAL
INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS DURING COVID-19 RESPONSE
FROM: Christopher C. Krebs
Director
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)

As the Nation comes together to slow the spread of COVID-19, on March 16th, the President issued
updated Coronavirus Guidance for America. This guidance states that:
“If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of
Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food
supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) executes the Secretary of Homeland
Security’s responsibilities as assigned under the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to provide strategic
guidance, promote a national unity of effort, and coordinate the overall federal effort to ensure the
security and resilience of the Nation's critical infrastructure. CISA uses trusted partnerships with
both the public and private sectors to deliver infrastructure resilience assistance and guidance to a
broad range of partners.
In accordance with this mandate, and in collaboration with other federal agencies and the private
sector, CISA developed an initial list of “Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers” to help State and
local officials as they work to protect their communities, while ensuring continuity of functions
critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security. The list can also inform
critical infrastructure community decision-making to determine the sectors, sub-sectors, segments,
or critical functions that should continue normal operations, appropriately modified to account for
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) workforce and customer protection guidance.
The attached list identifies workers who conduct a range of operations and services that are essential
to continued critical infrastructure viability, including staffing operations centers, maintaining and
repairing critical infrastructure, operating call centers, working construction, and performing
management functions, among others. The industries they support represent, but are not necessarily
12

 limited to, medical and healthcare, telecommunications, information technology systems, defense,
food and agriculture, transportation and logistics, energy, water and wastewater, law enforcement,
and public works.
We recognize that State, local, tribal, and territorial governments are ultimately in charge of
implementing and executing response activities in communities under their jurisdiction, while the
Federal Government is in a supporting role. As State and local communities consider
COVID-19-related restrictions, CISA is offering this list to assist prioritizing activities related to
continuity of operations and incident response, including the appropriate movement of critical
infrastructure workers within and between jurisdictions.
Accordingly, this list is advisory in nature. It is not, nor should it be considered to be, a federal
directive or standard in and of itself.
In addition, these identified sectors and workers are not intended to be the authoritative or exhaustive
list of critical infrastructure sectors and functions that should continue during the COVID-19
response. Instead, State and local officials should use their own judgment in using their authorities
and issuing implementation directives and guidance. Similarly, critical infrastructure industry
partners will use their own judgment, informed by this list, to ensure continued operations of critical
infrastructure services and functions. All decisions should appropriately balance public safety while
ensuring the continued delivery of critical infrastructure services and functions.
CISA will continue to work with you and our partners in the critical infrastructure community to
update this list as the Nation’s response to COVID-19 evolves. We also encourage you to submit
how you might use this list so that we can develop a repository of use cases for broad sharing across
the country.
Should you have questions about this list, please contact CISA at CISA.CAT@cisa.dhs.gov.

Attachment: “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community
and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response”
2

13

 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring
Community and National Resilience in COVID-19
Response
Version 1.0 (March 19, 2020)

THE IMPORTANCE OF ESSENTIAL CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS
Functioning critical infrastructure is imperative during the response to the COVID-19 emergency for both public
health and safety as well as community well-being. Certain critical infrastructure industries have a special
responsibility in these times to continue operations.
This guidance and accompanying list are intended to support State, Local, and industry partners in identifying the
critical infrastructure sectors and the essential workers needed to maintain the services and functions
Americans depend on daily and that need to be able to operate resiliently during the COVID-19 pandemic response.
This document gives guidance to State, local, tribal, and territorial jurisdictions and the private sector on defining
essential critical infrastructure workers. Promoting the ability of such workers to continue to work during periods of
community restriction, access management, social distancing, or closure orders/directives is crucial to community
resilience and continuity of essential functions.

CONSIDERATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS
This list was developed in consultation with federal agency partners, industry experts, and State and local officials,
and is based on several key principles:
1. Response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic are locally executed, State managed, and federally supported
2. Everyone should follow guidance from the CDC, as well as State and local government officials, regarding
strategies to limit disease spread.
3. Workers should be encouraged to work remotely when possible and focus on core business activities. In- person,
non-mandatory activities should be delayed until the resumption of normal operations.
4. When continuous remote work is not possible, businesses should enlist strategies to reduce the likelihood of
spreading the disease. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, separating staff by off-setting shift hours or
days and/or social distancing. These steps can preserve the workforce and allow operations to continue.

CONNECT WITH US
www.cisa.gov
For more information,
email CISA.CAT@cisa.dhs.gov

Linkedin.com/company/cybersecurityand-infrastructure-security-agency
@CISAgov   @cyber   @uscert_gov
Facebook.com/CISA

 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

5. All organizations should implement their business continuity and pandemic plans, or put plans in place if they do
not exist. Delaying implementation is not advised and puts at risk the viability of the business and the health and
safety of the employees.
6. In the modern economy, reliance on technology and just-in-time supply chains means that certain workers must
be able to access certain sites, facilities, and assets to ensure continuity of functions.
7. Government employees, such as emergency managers, and the business community need to establish and
maintain lines of communication.
8. When government and businesses engage in discussions about critical infrastructure workers, they need to
consider the implications of business operations beyond the jurisdiction where the asset or facility is located.
Businesses can have sizeable economic and societal impacts as well as supply chain dependencies that are
geographically distributed.
9. Whenever possible, jurisdictions should align access and movement control policies related to critical
infrastructure workers to lower the burden of workers crossing jurisdictional boundaries.

IDENTIFYING ESSENTIAL CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS
The following list of sectors and identified essential critical infrastructure workers are an initial recommended set
and are intended to be overly inclusive reflecting the diversity of industries across the United States. CISA will
continually solicit and accept feedback on the list (both sectors/sub sectors and identified essential workers) and
will evolve the list in response to stakeholder feedback. We will also use our various stakeholder engagement
mechanisms to work with partners on how they are using this list and share those lessons learned and best
practices broadly. We ask that you share your feedback, both positive and negative on this list so we can provide
the most useful guidance to our critical infrastructure partners. Feedback can be sent to CISA.CAT@CISA.DHS.GOV.

CONNECT WITH US
www.cisa.gov
For more information,
email CISA.CAT@cisa.dhs.gov

Linkedin.com/company/cybersecurityand-infrastructure-security-agency
@CISAgov   @cyber   @uscert_gov
Facebook.com/CISA

 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

HEALTHCARE / PUBLIC HEALTH





















Workers providing COVID-19 testing; Workers that perform critical clinical research needed for COVID-19
response
Caregivers (e.g., physicians, dentists, psychologists, mid-level practitioners, nurses and assistants, infection
control and quality assurance personnel, pharmacists, physical and occupational therapists and assistants,
social workers, speech pathologists and diagnostic and therapeutic technicians and technologists)
Hospital and laboratory personnel (including accounting, administrative, admitting and discharge, engineering,
epidemiological, source plasma and blood donation, food service, housekeeping, medical records, information
technology and operational technology, nutritionists, sanitarians, respiratory therapists, etc.)
Workers in other medical facilities (including Ambulatory Health and Surgical, Blood Banks, Clinics,
Community Mental Health, Comprehensive Outpatient rehabilitation, End Stage Renal Disease, Health
Departments, Home Health care, Hospices, Hospitals, Long Term Care, Organ Pharmacies, Procurement
Organizations, Psychiatric Residential, Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers)
Manufacturers, technicians, logistics and warehouse operators, and distributors of medical equipment,
personal protective equipment (PPE), medical gases, pharmaceuticals, blood and blood products, vaccines,
testing materials, laboratory supplies, cleaning, sanitizing, disinfecting or sterilization supplies, and tissue
and paper towel products
Public health / community health workers, including those who compile, model, analyze and communicate
public health information
Blood and plasma donors and the employees of the organizations that operate and manage related activities
Workers that manage health plans, billing, and health information, who cannot practically work remotely
Workers who conduct community-based public health functions, conducting epidemiologic surveillance,
compiling, analyzing and communicating public health information, who cannot practically work remotely
Workers performing cybersecurity functions at healthcare and public health facilities, who cannot practically
work remotely
Workers conducting research critical to COVID-19 response
Workers performing security, incident management, and emergency operations functions at or on behalf of
healthcare entities including healthcare coalitions, who cannot practically work remotely
Workers who support food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically
disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, such as those residing in shelters
Pharmacy employees necessary for filling prescriptions
Workers performing mortuary services, including funeral homes, crematoriums, and cemetery workers
Workers who coordinate with other organizations to ensure the proper recovery, handling, identification,
transportation, tracking, storage, and disposal of human remains and personal effects; certify cause of death;
and facilitate access to mental/behavioral health services to the family members, responders, and survivors
of an incident

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 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

LAW ENFORCEMENT, PUBLIC SAFETY, FIRST RESPONDERS
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Personnel in emergency management, law enforcement, Emergency Management Systems, fire, and
corrections, including front line and management
Emergency Medical Technicians
911 call center employees
Fusion Center employees
Hazardous material responders from government and the private sector.
Workers – including contracted vendors -- who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting law
enforcement and emergency service operations.

FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
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Workers supporting groceries, pharmacies and other retail that sells food and beverage products
Restaurant carry-out and quick serve food operations - Carry-out and delivery food employees
Food manufacturer employees and their supplier employees—to include those employed in food
processing (packers, meat processing, cheese plants, milk plants, produce, etc.) facilities; livestock,
poultry, seafood slaughter facilities; pet and animal feed processing facilities; human food facilities
producing by-products for animal food; beverage production facilities; and the production of food
packaging
Farm workers to include those employed in animal food, feed, and ingredient production, packaging, and
distribution; manufacturing, packaging, and distribution of veterinary drugs; truck delivery and transport;
farm and fishery labor needed to produce our food supply domestically
Farm workers and support service workers to include those who field crops; commodity inspection; fuel
ethanol facilities; storage facilities; and other agricultural inputs
Employees and firms supporting food, feed, and beverage distribution, including warehouse workers,
vendor- managed inventory controllers and blockchain managers
Workers supporting the sanitation of all food manufacturing processes and operations from wholesale to
retail
Company cafeterias - in-plant cafeterias used to feed employees
Workers in food testing labs in private industries and in institutions of higher education
Workers essential for assistance programs and government payments
Employees of companies engaged in the production of chemicals, medicines, vaccines, and other
substances used by the food and agriculture industry, including pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, minerals,
enrichments, and other agricultural production aids
Animal agriculture workers to include those employed in veterinary health; manufacturing and distribution
of animal medical materials, animal vaccines, animal drugs, feed ingredients, feed, and bedding, etc.;
transportation of live animals, animal medical materials; transportation of deceased animals for disposal;
raising of animals for food; animal production operations; slaughter and packing plants and associated
regulatory and government workforce
Workers who support the manufacture and distribution of forest products, including, but not limited to
timber, paper, and other wood products
Employees engaged in the manufacture and maintenance of equipment and other infrastructure
necessary to agricultural production and distribution

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 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

ENERGY
Electricity industry:
 Workers who maintain, ensure, or restore the generation, transmission, and distribution of electric power,
including call centers, utility workers, reliability engineers and fleet maintenance technicians
 Workers needed for safe and secure operations at nuclear generation
 Workers at generation, transmission, and electric blackstart facilities
 Workers at Reliability Coordinator (RC), Balancing Authorities (BA), and primary and backup Control Centers
(CC), including but not limited to independent system operators, regional transmission organizations, and
balancing authorities
 Mutual assistance personnel
 IT and OT technology staff – for EMS (Energy Management Systems) and Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) systems, and utility data centers; Cybersecurity engineers; cybersecurity risk
management
 Vegetation management crews and traffic workers who support
 Environmental remediation/monitoring technicians
 Instrumentation, protection, and control technicians
Petroleum workers:
 Petroleum product storage, pipeline, marine transport, terminals, rail transport, road transport
 Crude oil storage facilities, pipeline, and marine transport
 Petroleum refinery facilities
 Petroleum security operations center employees and workers who support emergency response services
 Petroleum operations control rooms/centers
 Petroleum drilling, extraction, production, processing, refining, terminal operations, transporting, and retail
for use as end-use fuels or feedstocks for chemical manufacturing
 Onshore and offshore operations for maintenance and emergency response
 Retail fuel centers such as gas stations and truck stops, and the distribution systems that support them
Natural and propane gas workers:
 Natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines, including compressor stations
 Underground storage of natural gas
 Natural gas processing plants, and those that deal with natural gas liquids
 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities
 Natural gas security operations center, natural gas operations dispatch and control rooms/centers natural
gas emergency response and customer emergencies, including natural gas leak calls
 Drilling, production, processing, refining, and transporting natural gas for use as end-use fuels, feedstocks
for chemical manufacturing, or use in electricity generation
 Propane gas dispatch and control rooms and emergency response and customer emergencies, including
propane leak calls
 Propane gas service maintenance and restoration, including call centers
 Processing, refining, and transporting natural liquids, including propane gas, for use as end-use fuels or
feedstocks for chemical manufacturing
 Propane gas storage, transmission, and distribution centers

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 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

WATER AND WASTEWATER
Employees needed to operate and maintain drinking water and wastewater/drainage infrastructure, including:
 Operational staff at water authorities
 Operational staff at community water systems
 Operational staff at wastewater treatment facilities
 Workers repairing water and wastewater conveyances and performing required sampling or monitoring
 Operational staff for water distribution and testing
 Operational staff at wastewater collection facilities
 Operational staff and technical support for SCADA Control systems
 Chemical disinfectant suppliers for wastewater and personnel protection
 Workers that maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting water and wastewater operations

TRANSPORTATION AND LOGISTICS
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Employees supporting or enabling transportation functions, including dispatchers, maintenance and
repair technicians, warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, and workers that maintain and
inspect infrastructure (including those that require cross-border travel)
Employees of firms providing services that enable logistics operations, including cooling, storing,
packaging, and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use.
Mass transit workers
Workers responsible for operating dispatching passenger, commuter and freight trains and maintaining
rail infrastructure and equipment
Maritime transportation workers - port workers, mariners, equipment operators
Truck drivers who haul hazardous and waste materials to support critical infrastructure, capabilities,
functions, and services
Automotive repair and maintenance facilities
Manufacturers and distributors (to include service centers and related operations) of packaging
materials, pallets, crates, containers, and other supplies needed to support manufacturing, packaging
staging and distribution operations
Postal and shipping workers, to include private companies
Employees who repair and maintain vehicles, aircraft, rail equipment, marine vessels, and the
equipment and infrastructure that enables operations that encompass movement of cargo and
passengers
Air transportation employees, including air traffic controllers, ramp personnel, aviation security, and
aviation management
Workers who support the maintenance and operation of cargo by air transportation, including flight
crews, maintenance, airport operations, and other on- and off- airport facilities workers

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 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce

PUBLIC WORKS
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Workers who support the operation, inspection, and maintenance of essential dams, locks and levees
Workers who support the operation, inspection, and maintenance of essential public works facilities and
operations, including bridges, water and sewer main breaks, fleet maintenance personnel, construction
of critical or strategic infrastructure, traffic signal maintenance, emergency location services for buried
utilities, maintenance of digital systems infrastructure supporting public works operations, and other
emergent issues
Workers such as plumbers, electricians, exterminators, and other service providers who provide services
that are necessary to maintaining the safety, sanitation, and essential operation of residences
Support, such as road and line clearing, to ensure the availability of needed facilities, transportation,
energy and communications
Support to ensure the effective removal, storage, and disposal of residential and commercial solid waste
and hazardous waste

COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Communications:
 Maintenance of communications infrastructure- including privately owned and maintained
communication systems- supported by technicians, operators, call-centers, wireline and wireless
providers, cable service providers, satellite operations, undersea cable landing stations, Internet
Exchange Points, and manufacturers and distributors of communications equipment
 Workers who support radio, television, and media service, including, but not limited to front line news
reporters, studio, and technicians for newsgathering and reporting
 Workers at Independent System Operators and Regional Transmission Organizations, and Network
Operations staff, engineers and/or technicians to manage the network or operate facilities
 Engineers, technicians and associated personnel responsible for infrastructure construction and
restoration, including contractors for construction and engineering of fiber optic cables
 Installation, maintenance and repair technicians that establish, support or repair service as needed
 Central office personnel to maintain and operate central office, data centers, and other network office
facilities
 Customer service and support staff, including managed and professional services as well as remote
providers of support to transitioning employees to set up and maintain home offices, who interface with
customers to manage or support service environments and security issues, including payroll, billing,
fraud, and troubleshooting
 Dispatchers involved with service repair and restoration
Information Technology:
 Workers who support command centers, including, but not limited to Network Operations Command
Center, Broadcast Operations Control Center and Security Operations Command Center
 Data center operators, including system administrators, HVAC & electrical engineers, security personnel,
IT managers, data transfer solutions engineers, software and hardware engineers, and database
administrators
 Client service centers, field engineers, and other technicians supporting critical infrastructure, as well as
manufacturers and supply chain vendors that provide hardware and software, and information
technology equipment (to include microelectronics and semiconductors) for critical infrastructure
 Workers responding to cyber incidents involving critical infrastructure, including medical facilities, SLTT
governments and federal facilities, energy and utilities, and banks and financial institutions, and other
critical infrastructure categories and personnel

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 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
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Workers supporting the provision of essential global, national and local infrastructure for computing
services (incl. cloud computing services), business infrastructure, web-based services, and critical
manufacturing
Workers supporting communications systems and information technology used by law enforcement,
public safety, medical, energy and other critical industries
Support required for continuity of services, including janitorial/cleaning personnel

OTHER COMMUNITY-BASED GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS AND
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
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Workers to ensure continuity of building functions
Security staff to maintain building access control and physical security measures
Elections personnel
Federal, State, and Local, Tribal, and Territorial employees who support Mission Essential Functions and
communications networks
Trade Officials (FTA negotiators; international data flow administrators)
Weather forecasters
Workers that maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting other critical government operations
Workers at operations centers necessary to maintain other essential functions
Workers who support necessary credentialing, vetting and licensing operations for transportation
workers
Customs workers who are critical to facilitating trade in support of the national emergency response
supply chain
Educators supporting public and private K-12 schools, colleges, and universities for purposes of
facilitating distance learning or performing other essential functions, if operating under rules for social
distancing
Hotel Workers where hotels are used for COVID-19 mitigation and containment measures

CRITICAL MANUFACTURING
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Workers necessary for the manufacturing of materials and products needed for medical supply chains,
transportation, energy, communications, food and agriculture, chemical manufacturing, nuclear
facilities, the operation of dams, water and wastewater treatment, emergency services, and the defense
industrial base.

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
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Workers at nuclear facilities, workers managing medical waste, workers managing waste from
pharmaceuticals and medical material production, and workers at laboratories processing test kits
Workers who support hazardous materials response and cleanup
Workers who maintain digital systems infrastructure supporting hazardous materials management
operations

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 Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce
FINANCIAL SERVICES
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Workers who are needed to process and maintain systems for processing financial transactions and
services (e.g., payment, clearing, and settlement; wholesale funding; insurance services; and capital
markets activities)
Workers who are needed to provide consumer access to banking and lending services, including ATMs,
and to move currency and payments (e.g., armored cash carriers)
Workers who support financial operations, such as those staffing data and security operations centers

CHEMICAL
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Workers supporting the chemical and industrial gas supply chains, including workers at chemical
manufacturing plants, workers in laboratories, workers at distribution facilities, workers who transport
basic raw chemical materials to the producers of industrial and consumer goods, including hand
sanitizers, food and food additives, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and paper products.
Workers supporting the safe transportation of chemicals, including those supporting tank truck cleaning
facilities and workers who manufacture packaging items
Workers supporting the production of protective cleaning and medical solutions, personal protective
equipment, and packaging that prevents the contamination of food, water, medicine, among others
essential products
Workers supporting the operation and maintenance of facilities (particularly those with high risk chemicals
and/ or sites that cannot be shut down) whose work cannot be done remotely and requires the presence
of highly trained personnel to ensure safe operations, including plant contract workers who provide
inspections
Workers who support the production and transportation of chlorine and alkali manufacturing, single-use
plastics, and packaging that prevents the contamination or supports the continued manufacture of food,
water, medicine, and other essential products, including glass container manufacturing

DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE
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Workers who support the essential services required to meet national security commitments to the federal
government and U.S. Military. These individuals, include but are not limited to, aerospace; mechanical and
software engineers, manufacturing/production workers; IT support; security staff; security personnel;
intelligence support, aircraft and weapon system mechanics and maintainers
Personnel working for companies, and their subcontractors, who perform under contract to the
Department of Defense providing materials and services to the Department of Defense, and governmentowned/contractor- operated and government-owned/government-operated facilities

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