Lynda Fulton
Sep 6, 20214 min
Doing business at Alert Level 2
At Alert Level 2 all businesses can open with some restrictions, including physical distancing, use of face coverings and record keeping.
At Alert Level 2, all businesses can operate and have customers on their premises if they can do so safely.
All workers should keep at least 1 metre apart, where possible. To help everyone physically distance safely, you can:
limit the number of people allowed in enclosed spaces such as lifts
offer flexible working options, for example working from home
have virtual meetings instead of meeting in person
If you own or run a business where staff cannot work home, you may want to stagger start times to limit cross over between staff.
If your business has customers on site, you need to meet physical distancing requirements. This may mean you need to limit the number of people that can enter your premises at any given time so people can safely physically distance.
You can also limit customer contact by offering contactless payment options and providing contactless deliveries.
In other places where there is a cap on the number of people who can be present for example: cafes, restaurants and bars, customers and clients on the premises only need to keep 1 metre apart.
To help achieve physical distancing, customers are not permitted to stand on public transport.
There are specific rules for businesses in hospitality, retail and in-home services and businesses organising events or gatherings.
Retail and in-home services at Alert Level 2
Events and gatherings at Alert Level 2
Face coverings
Your employees must wear a face covering at work if they:
work in the public-facing area of a court, tribunal, local or central government agency or social service provider
are a delivery driver to residential addresses — delivery drivers only need to wear a face covering when they are out of their vehicle
work at a cafe, restaurant, bar, nightclub, soup kitchen or any other food or drink business
work for a close contact service — for example, hairdressers or beauty therapists
work at a retail store — including those that were operating at Alert Levels 3 and 4
work at an indoor public facility — for example, a library, museum or a gym — employees working at a swimming pool do not need to wear a face covering.
are a driver of a taxi, ride-share vehicle, ferry, bus or train used for public transport — this excludes school buses and ferries between the North Island and South Island.
Some people do not need to wear a face covering.
Who does not need to wear a face covering
Contact tracing at your workplace
Businesses must keep an updated record of people who enter their premises. This means displaying an NZ COVID Tracer QR code in a prominent place at or near the main entrance. You also need to offer customers and visitors a way to manually sign in. If you are using an alternative contact tracing system, you need to record:
the entry and exit times for workers, visitors and contractors
the names of everyone on your premises or location
their contact details.
Make sure you keep your contact tracing records secure.
From 11:59pm on Tuesday 7 September, some Alert Level 2 businesses and services will be required to keep a record of everyone 12 years and over who enters their premises or location.
Find out more about mandatory record keeping
Close contact services
For some businesses, close personal contact is required to deliver a service. This includes:
hairdressers
home help providers.
These businesses can operate if they have public health measures in place including:
keeping contact tracing registers
keeping customers 2 metres apart, including while they are waiting
good hygiene practices
disinfecting surfaces in between customers
making sure workers wear a face covering.
Going into someone's home to work
At Alert Level 2, your employees can go into someone's home to work — for example, tradespeople, home cleaners, nannies and in-home care providers.
They must stay 2 metres apart from everyone in the home. We recommend having online payment options to minimise physical contact.
If your employees go into someone's home to work, they should keep records of their visit to support contact tracing. This includes recording:
the date and time they arrive and leave a customer's home
their customer's contact details.
Your employees should not go into someone's home if they are unwell, or if the clients they are visiting are unwell.
Travelling for work
At Alert Level 2, your employees can travel for work to other regions that are at Alert Level 1 or 2. Employees should keep a record of who they have been in contact with, and what transport services they used.
If workers are using a company vehicle or travelling together in a work vehicle, try to limit the number of people travelling so people can safely distance. If physical distancing is difficult, we recommend employees wear a face covering.
Make sure you clean and sanitise vehicles after use.
Everyone must wear a face covering on all public transport and domestic flights.
If workers need to cross the Alert Level boundary
Business or work travel across Alert Level 4 and 2 boundaries is strictly limited. These Alert Level boundaries are an important way to manage the risk of the virus spreading so we keep our loved ones and communities safe.
Your employees can only travel across the Alert Level boundary if that travel is permitted. You also need to make sure your workers have acceptable evidence that they are permitted to cross the boundary.