LANSING, Mich. — A date has now been set for another low-risk industry to get back to work.
Commercial and residential construction work can begin on Thursday, May 7, according to the governor's office.
Whitmer had already said on Monday she expected to allow the construction industry to start back up within a week or two.
The current stay at home order is in place until May 15, and it only allows essential employees to report to work and it relaxed restrictions on a few low-risk industries, including landscaping and lawn-care services. But, Whitmer said there is a plan in place to reopen the state based on sector and geography.
"There's no on and off switch here," the governor said during a Monday afternoon press conference. "We have to think about this as a dial: where we turn it up when necessary, where turn it down when necessary. Re-engagement needs to be incremental and cautious."
The state has deemed the approach the MI Safe Start Plan.
In order to broadly move the state toward re-engaging, the state has developed a Michigan Economic Recovery Council (MERC) to put the state on the path to restoring the economy in light of the pandemic that crippled workforces.
The governor also wants to extend the state of emergency by 28 days. The current state of emergency continues through Thursday, April 30. The governor said she will be sending a letter to the Republican-led legislature to ask for the extension. This state of emergency was extended by 23 days through April 30, when the legislature voted down Whitmer's request for a 70-day emergency.
The state of emergency is not the same as the stay at home order, which is in effect until May 15. Rather a state of emergency allows Whitmer to issue a variety of orders and directives.
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