Gov. Tony Evers issued an Executive Order Tuesday instituting a “Safe at Home” policy for the State of Wisconsin.

The Order takes effect at 8 am Wednesday, March 25 and will remain in effect until 8 am Friday, April 24, or until a superseding order is issued.

“Protecting the health and safety of Wisconsinites across our state is the Governor’s top priority. As we work with public health experts to respond to the health crisis, we have been careful to listen to the science and mindful of the impact our protective measures will have for EVERYONE,” said the Governor’s Director of Outreach, Jamie Kuhn.

“As outlined in the order, individuals can leave their home to perform tasks essential to maintain health and safety, get services and supplies necessary for staying home, and care for others,” Kuhn said, noting that if a business believes its work is essential and it should be exempt, it should go to https://wedc.org/essentialbusiness/.

“These are important steps to ensure we are working to slow the spread of COVID-19, and we all need to do our part and work together to protect each other. The Governor did not take this decision lightly, but we know what Wisconsinites can do when they care about each other,” Kuhn said.

“Essential services will continue to be provided to our communities. We ask that you recognize the efforts of those who are providing those services,” she said.

Highlights of the Stay at Home Order

The 16-page Order has several sections that provide detail that will answer questions private schools have. WCRIS encourages you to read the order and note the following key sections:

Section 2a. Reference to Minimum Basic Operations

Section 4a. Public and private K-12 schools and public libraries. Except for facilitating distance learning or virtual learning, public and private K-12 schools are closed for pupil instruction and extracurricular activities. Libraries shall close for all in-person services, but may continue to provide on-line services and programming. Schools and public libraries may be used for Essential Government Functions and food distribution.

Section 11c. Outdoor Activity. Playgrounds are closed.

Section 11d. Certain types of work. To perform work at Essential Businesses or Operations or to otherwise carry out activities specifically permitted in this Order, including Minimum Basic Operations and obtaining supplies needed to work from home.

Section 13. Essential Businesses and Operations. All entities described in this section shall meet Social Distancing Requirements between all individuals on the premises to the extent possible. Essential Businesses and Operations shall, to the greatest extent possible, use technology to avoid meeting in person, including virtual meetings, teleconference, and remote work (i.e., work from home). For the purposes of this Order, Essential Businesses and Operations means Healthcare and Public Health Operations, Human Services Operations, Essential Infrastructure, and Essential Governmental Functions, and the following:

  • f. Child Care.
  • g. Organizations that provide charitable and social services. Businesses and religious and secular nonprofit organizations, including prevocational group supportive employment, food banks and food pantries, when providing food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals, individuals who need assistance as a result of this public health emergency, and people with disabilities.

Section 14. Minimum Basic Operations. For the purposes of this Order, Minimum Basic Operations include the following, provided that employees comply with Social Distancing Requirements, to the extent possible, while carrying out such operations:

  • a. The minimum necessary activities to maintain the value of the business’s inventory, preserve the condition of the business’s physical plant and equipment, ensure security, process payroll and employee benefits, or for related functions, including where these functions are outsourced to other entities.
  • b. The minimum necessary activities to facilitate employees of the business being able to continue to work remotely from their residences.

Please note the order expands restrictions in two key areas:

Section 1 “Stay at Home” and Outdoor Restrictions. To the extent individuals are using shared or outdoor spaces other than their home or residence, they must at all times as reasonably possible maintain social distancing of at least six (6) feet from any other person. (See Section 16 for the definition of social distancing.)

This may impact “drive-by” procedures as the order requires even certain exempt entities to try and maintain social distancing where possible (see the first sentence in Section 13 above). Please make certain to practice the newly-instituted outdoor social distancing requirements.

Section 3. Prohibited activities. All public and private gatherings of any number of people that are not part of a single household or living unit are prohibited, except for the limited purposes expressly permitted in this Order. Nothing in this Order prohibits the gathering of members of a single household or living unit.

Additional information of concern to private K-12 schools can be found at: