Face Mask Requirements and Recommendations by State

What the “new normal” will look like has grown to be a big topic of discussion all throughout the country. Many are asking: How can we re-enter society and begin building the economy back up in a safe way without access to a COVID-19 vaccine? The common answers we have heard from State and Local officials are that of social distancing, sanitation plans, physical barriers, and face mask requirements.

Although changes are being made almost daily and each State and local municipality have different definitions of when or if a face mask should be worn, so far 40 States as well as D.C. and Puerto Rico have issued requirements for wearing face masks in public, the Federal Government as well as 7 States recommend that face masks be worn, and three States do not have state-wide mandates or recommendations. Among those three states, however, 2 have local municipalities that have issued some provision concerning face masks.

Use the information below (sources for information taken from State and local municipality governmental webpages, CNet, and JD SUPRA) to determine what recommendations or requirements you must follow in your area. We will keep this list as up to date as possible. However, to be certain about the requirements that apply to your jurisdiction, please always check with your state and local government webpages as well. For further information, we encourage you to contact PRINTING United Alliance’s Government Affairs Team directly at govtaffairs@printing.org.

Federal

Recommendation

• CDC recommends that everyone wear a cloth face covering in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
• OSHA (PDF) recommends allowing workers to wear masks over their nose and mouth to prevent them from spreading the virus.

Alabama

Order of the State Health Officer (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance)

• Face coverings are required for employees of restaurants, personal care services, entertainment venues, and gyms and fitness centers.
• Face coverings are recommended for all other businesses.

NOTE: Many Alabama localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers.Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

• Madison County and others.

Alaska

Reopen Alaska Responsibly Phase III/IV Guidance (PDF)

Recommendation

• Employees of reopening businesses should wear face coverings.

NOTE: At least one city in Alaska has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

• Anchorage Mask Mandate.

Arizona

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance)

• Required for employees and customers of barbers and cosmetologists.
• Recommended (PDF) for businesses where service cannot be provided without physical distancing: employers should provide and require employees to wear masks.
• Residents are recommended to wear cloth face coverings worn in public places where physical distancing is difficult to maintain.

NOTE: Many Arizona localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. See this article on each City and County.

• Mesa, Arizona Mayor On New Face Mask Requirement

Arkansas

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance): 

• Required (PDF) for restaurants reopening for dine-in. All staff who encounter patrons must wear a face mask that completely covers their nose and mouth. Staff in the back of house are encouraged to wear a face mask. All staff are required to wear gloves. Gloves shall be changed out between each customer, customer group, or task. Patrons must wear a face covering upon entrance and while in the restaurant until the food or drink is served and may be refused service if not wearing a mask.
• Required (PDF) for reopening gyms and fitness centers. Employees must wear a face mask at all times. Patrons must wear a mask except when actively exercising.
• Residents are encouraged (PDF) to wear a cloth mask when in public and unable to maintain a 6-foot distance from others.

NOTE: In Arkansas, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. See this article about each City and County.

California

Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings (PDF)

Requirement:

• Individuals must wear masks in several specified high-risk situations, including when engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off-site, when
  • interacting in-person with any member of the public
  • working in any space visited by members of the public, regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time
  • working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to others
  • working in or walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities
  • in any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance.
• Persons exempted from wearing a face covering due to a medical condition who are employed in a job involving regular contact with others should wear a non-restrictive alternative, such as a face shield with a drape on the bottom edge, as long as their condition permits it.

NOTE: Many California localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Some cities are banning the use of facemasks with valves. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Colorado

Executive Orders D 2020 039 and D 2020 067 Ordering Workers in Critical Businesses and Critical Government Functions to Wear Non-Medical Face Coverings (PDF)

Requirement: 

• Workers in critical businesses and reopening businesses in which workers interact in close proximity with other employees or with the public must
  • wear medical or non-medical cloth face coverings that cover the nose and mouth while working, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health; and
  • to the extent possible, wear gloves when in contact with customers or goods if gloves are provided to workers by their employer.
• Businesses have the discretion to bar entry to individuals not wearing a mask.

NOTE: Many Colorado localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Connecticut

Executive Order No. 7BB - Use of Facemasks (PDF)

Requirement:

• Essential employees should use masks or cloth face coverings.
• Restaurant (PDF) employees and customers must wear face coverings. Employers must provide face coverings for employees.
• Retail (PDF) employees and customers must wear face coverings. Employers must provide face coverings for employees.
• Office-based businesses (PDF) must require employees to wear employer-provided face coverings.
• Personal care services (PDF) employees and patrons must wear face coverings.Employers must provide face coverings for employees.

NOTE: In Connecticut, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Delaware

Guidance for Face Coverings

Requirement:

• Employers must provide employees with a face covering to wear while working in areas open to the general public and areas in which coming within 6 feet of other staff is likely. Businesses must provide, at their expense, such face coverings as well as hand sanitizer for their employees. All employees are strongly encouraged to use personal face coverings until their employer provides a face covering.
• All individuals must wear a face covering in specified public places, except where doing so would inhibit that individual’s health or where the individual is under two years of age. A business must decline entry to an individual refusing to wear, unless the business is providing medication, medical supplies, or food, in which case the business policy should provide alternate methods of pickup and/or delivery of such goods, or the individual has a medical condition that would prevent them from mask use.
• Here is some guidance for face coverings.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

District of Columbia

Mayor's Order 2020-66 (PDF)

Requirement:

• Individuals over age 9 living in, working in, or visiting DC must wear a face covering when
  • engaging in essential or minimum basic business operations while in the presence of other people and
  • engaging in essential travel.
• Essential businesses must require employees and independent contractors to wear masks and instruct on proper use. Businesses must provide masks to employees, but not to independent contractors.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Florida

Requirement:

• Personal care services providers and employees must wear masks and are also encouraged to provide masks to patrons and/or adopt a policy requiring patrons to wear masks.
• NOTE: Many Florida localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. See this article for a list of Counties and Cities.

Georgia

Executive Order No. 03.14.20.01 (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance)

• Required for certain businesses permitted to reopen, including restaurants and others. Gyms, fitness centers, bowling alleys, body art studios, estheticians, hair designers, and massage therapists reopening must comply with sanitation requirements, including providing personal protective equipment as available and appropriate to the function and location of each worker within the business.
• Recommended (PDF) for the general public. Everyone should wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

NOTE: In Georgia, cities are banned from creating face mask orders.

Hawaii

Eight Supplementary Proclamation Related to the COVID-19 Emergency (PDF)

Requirement:

• All customers must wear a face covering while waiting to enter and while at an essential or designated business or operation.
• All employees of essential or designated businesses or operations who have any contact with customers or goods to be purchased must wear the cloth face covering recommended by the CDC while at their place of employment.

NOTE: In Hawaii, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

• Oahu.

Idaho

Stage 4 Stay Healthy Guidelines

Recommendation:

• Employers should identify how personal use items such as masks, face coverings, and gloves may be required by employees, vendors, and/or patrons. Use of face coverings by the general public is strongly recommended.

• NOTE: In Idaho, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. See this article about the Cities that have mandated face masks.

Illinois

Executive Order 2020-38 (COVID-19 Executive Order No. 36) (PDF)

Requirement:

• People over age 2 must wear a mask or face covering when in a public place and they either cannot or it is impractical to maintain 6 feet of physical distance between themselves and others.
• All businesses must ensure that employees and visitors wear face coverings when social distancing is not possible. Find guidance here.

NOTE: Many Illinois localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Indiana

Executive Order 20-26: Roadmap to Reopen Indiana for Hoosiers, Businesses and State Government (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Face coverings are required for restaurant employees and personal care services employees.
• Cloth face coverings recommended for residents in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

NOTE: In Indiana, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. See this article for a list of Cities and Counties.

Iowa

No statewide order.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

• Muscatine face mask mandate not valid, Gov. Kim Reynolds says

Kansas

Executive Order No. 20-52 (PDF)

Requirement:

• All businesses and organizations must require employees, customers, members of the public to wear face coverings when
  • employees are working in any space visited by the public,
  • when food is being prepared or packaged,
  • working or present in common areas,
  • customers or members of the public are present in the facility, and
  • in any enclosed area where others are present and are unable to maintain 6 feet distance.All individuals over age 5 are required to wear a face covering in indoor and outdoor public spaces and while using transportation services.

NOTE: Some counties may have opted-out of the governor's face covering requirement, under recently-enacted Kansas law. Other localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Kentucky

Executive Order 2020-586 (PDF)

Requirement:

• Individuals over age 5 must wear a face covering while inside or waiting to enter any retail establishment, grocery store, pharmacy, personal care services establishment, child care facility, restaurant, bar, health care provider, or any other indoor or outdoor public space where it is difficult to maintain 6 feet of physical distance from others. Face coverings are also required when using transportation services.
• Businesses (PDF) must provide PPE to employees and ensure, to the greatest extent practicable, that their employees wear a cloth mask. A business need not require an employee to wear a mask when masking would create a serious health or safety hazard to the employee or when the employee is working alone in an enclosed space. Businesses must ensure that employees whose job duties include touching items often touched by others (e.g., credit cards/cash, paper, computers) wear gloves that are regularly replaced.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Louisiana

Proclamation Number 74 JBE 2020 (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Individuals over age 8 must wear a face mask while in public settings.
• The statewide mask mandate applies to all 64 parishes in Louisiana. However, parishes with a COVID-19 incidence of fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 people for the most recent two-week period for which data is available could choose to opt out of the mandate. Parish presidents do not have to opt out and may choose to keep a mask mandate in place. Currently, only three parishes in Louisiana do not exceed this standard, which will be updated every other week by the Louisiana Department of Health: Grant, Red River, and West Feliciana.
• All employees of a business who have contact with the public must wear a mask.
• All restaurant employees must wear masks and should wear gloves.Face coverings strongly encouraged for all individuals when outside of the home.

NOTE: In Louisiana, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Maine

An Order to Stay Safer at Home (PDF)

Requirement:

• Individuals must wear a cloth face covering in public settings when other social distancing is difficult.
• The following businesses must require (PDF) face coverings to be worn: retail stores with more than 50,000 square feet of shopping space, restaurants, outdoor bars or tasting rooms, and lodging establishments in Hancock, Waldo, Knox, Lincoln, Sagadahoc, Cumberland, and York Counties, and in the cities of Bangor, Brewer, Lewiston, Auburn, and Augusta.

NOTE: In Maine, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Maryland

Executive Order Number 20-05-27-01 

Requirement:

• All riders and operators on any public transportation are required to wear face coverings (excluding any operator in a separate compartment that is off-limits to riders).
• All customers over age 9 are required to wear face coverings while inside the enclosed area of any retail establishment or food service establishment. Adult customers accompanying children age 2-9 must use reasonable efforts to ensure children wear face coverings.
• All retail establishments shall require staff to wear, and those staff shall wear, face coverings while working in areas open to the public and areas in which interactions with other staff are likely.
• All food service establishments shall require staff who interact with customers (including, without limitation, delivery personnel) to wear, and those staff shall wear, face coverings while working.
• Employees and customers of personal care services (PDF) must wear face coverings.

NOTE: In Maryland, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Massachusetts

Order Requiring Face Coverings in Public Places Where Social Distancing is Not Possible (PDF)

Requirement:

• Residents over age 2 must wear face coverings in public settings, including in essential businesses and on public transportation. The requirement applies to both customers and employees of essential businesses. If a customer refuses to wear a face covering for non-medical reasons, the business may decline entry. Find guidance here.

NOTE: Many Massachusetts localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Michigan

Executive Order No. 2020-145 (PDF)

Requirement:

• All businesses and operations whose workers perform in-person work must, at a minimum, provide non-medical grade face coverings to their workers, as well as gloves, goggles, face shields as appropriate for the activity being performed.
• Any individual leaving their residence must wear a face covering.
• Businesses and building owners, and those authorized to act on their behalf, are permitted to deny entry or access to any individual who refuses to comply with the face covering requirement.

NOTE: In Michigan, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Minnesota

Emergency Executive Order 20-81 (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Cloth face coverings recommended in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

NOTE: In Minnesota, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Mississippi

COVID-19 in Mississippi

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Required (PDF) for all businesses in 7 specified counties. "Appropriate PPE," including face coverings, shall be worn by all employees based on their duties and responsibilities.
• Restaurants and bars (PDF) reopening for dine-in service must provide cloth masks to employees who come into contact with customers and require those employees to wear the masks. "Appropriate PPE" must be worn by all restaurant and bar employees based on their duties.
• Personal care services (PDF) employees and patrons must wear employer-provided face coverings and must also require customers to wear face coverings.
• Gym and fitness center (PDF) employees must wear employer-provided face coverings.
• Residents are recommended to wear non-medical grade masks or homemade cloth masks when shopping, running errands, or otherwise away from home.

NOTE: In Mississippi, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Some of the areas with specific provisions are: Hinds, De Soto, Harrison, Rankin, Jackson, Washington, Sunflower, Grenada, Madison, Claiborne, Jefferson, Wayne, and Quitman. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Missouri

Missouri Guidance on Homemade and Alternative Face Coverings for COVID-19 (PDF)

Recommendation:

• People should wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

NOTE: In Missouri, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. See this article for a list of Counties and Cities.

Montana

Montana Gov. Stops Short of Issuing Mask Order as Cases Rise

Recommended:

• People are strongly recommended to war face masks. There is no state-wide mandate.

NOTE: In Montana, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Nebraska

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Personal care services (barbershops and salons (PDF), body art (PDF), massage therapy (PDF)) employees and customers must wear face coverings.
• Residents are recommended to wear a cloth face covering in public places where they cannot stay 6 feet away from others.

NOTE: In Nebraska, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements. Localities are not able to deny service to those not wearing masks.

Nevada

Declaration of Emergency Directive 024 (PDF)

Requirement:

• All individuals over age 9 must wear face coverings in public spaces.
• Businesses operating during Phase 2 must ensure that employees, customers, patrons, patients, and clients wear face coverings, including by prohibiting persons without face coverings from entering the premises.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

New Hampshire

Mask and Face Covering Requirements in New Hampshire Workplaces

• Retail, restaurant, golf course, and personal care services employees must wear cloth face coverings at all times when in the retail facility and in public locations or shared staff areas (e.g. break rooms), even if other individuals are not immediately present.
• Employees of other essential businesses and organizations and those that are re-opening all or a portion of their operations are strongly recommended to wear a cloth face covering while at work and in potential close contact with others.

NOTE: In New Hampshire, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

• Nashua.

New Jersey

New Jersey Extends Face Mask Mandate to Outdoors

Requirement:

• Individuals must wear face coverings in both indoor and outdoor spaces (PDF) accessible to the public.
• Customers and employees of essential retail businesses (retail, restaurants, manufacturing, warehousing, essential construction) must wear cloth face coverings inside the business, and businesses may decline entry to customers not wearing a covering. The order specifies the requirements and exceptions. Employees must also wear gloves when in contact with customers or goods. Businesses must provide, at their expense, the face coverings and gloves for employees.
• NJ Transit and private transit companies (PDF) must require workers and customers to wear cloth face coverings while on trains, buses and light rail vehicles, and passengers may be declined entry if they do not wear a covering. The order specifies the requirements and exceptions.

NOTE: In New Jersey, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

New Mexico

New Mexico Department of Health Public Health Order (PDF)

Requirement:

• All employers (PDF) must provide all employees with face coverings and require they be used in the workplace.
• All "essential businesses" operating as "retail space" (such as grocery and hardware stores) with a building footprint of more than 50,000 sq. Ft., and all restaurants, must ensure that all employees wear face coverings or medical grade masks.
• As of May 11, all smaller, essential retailers must also require employees to wear face coverings or medical grade masks.

NOTE: In New Mexico, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

New York

Interim Guidance on Executive Order 202.16 Requiring Face Coverings for Public and Private Employees Interacting with the Public During the COVID-19 Outbreak (PDF)

Requirement:

• Employers that are essential businesses must provide, at the employer's expense, face coverings for employees to wear when performing work that involves direct contact with customers or members of the public.
• Any individual who is over age 2 and able to medically tolerate a face-covering shall be required to cover their nose and mouth with a mask or cloth face-covering when in a public place and unable to maintain, or when not maintaining, social distance.
• Business owners may deny admittance to individuals who fail to comply with the directive to wear a face covering.

NOTE: New York City (PDF) has its own face covering obligations. In addition, some localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

North Carolina

Executive Order No. 147 (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Restaurant, retail, construction, manufacturing, trades, agricultural, meat processing, transportation, and personal care services employees are required to wear face coverings. Customers of restaurants, retail, transportation, and personal care services must wear face coverings at the business.
• Members of the public are recommended to wear face coverings in public. Find guidance here.

NOTE: In North Carolina, many localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

North Dakota

• Required (PDF) for personal care services employees.
• Recommended for everyone else.
• Employees and the public should wear face coverings especially in settings where social distancing may be difficult to maintain.
• Employers should encourage use of face coverings by employees and contracted workers whose duties require close contact (within 6 feet for ten minutes or more) with other employees and/or the public.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Ohio

Director's Updated and Revised Order for Business Guidance and Social Distancing (PDF)

Requirement

• Face coverings required for employees at all times. The guidance lists exceptions.
• Per a July 8 order, individuals in counties at red or purple status must wear a face covering in public settings.

NOTE: In Ohio, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

•  See this article for a list of Counties.

Oklahoma

No statewide order.

NOTE: In Oklahoma, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

• Tulsa.
• Oklahoma City.

Oregon

Statewide Mask, Face Shield, Face Covering Guidance (PDF)

Requirement:

• Grocery stores, retail stores, pharmacies, restaurants and bars, gyms and fitness centers, personal care services, and ride-sharing, and public transit must require employees, contractors, and volunteers to wear an employer-provided mask, face shield, or face covering, unless an accommodation for people with disabilities or other exemption applies.
• These employers must develop and comply with policies and procedures that provide for accommodations and exemptions from the mask or face covering requirement. These businesses may require customers and visitors to wear face coverings.
• As of July 1, this requirement applies statewide.
• Find guidance here.

NOTE: In Oregon, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Face coverings are required in indoor public spaces in the following counties: Multnomah, Washington, Clackamas, Hood River, Marion, Polk, and Lincoln. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Pennsylvania

Order of the Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Health Directing Public Health Safety Measures for Businesses Permitted to Maintain In-person Operations (PDF)

Requirement:

• Employers permitted to maintain in-person operations must provide masks for employees to wear during their time at the business, and make it a mandatory requirement to wear masks while on the work site, except to the extent an employee is using break time to eat or drink.
• Employers may approve masks or face coverings obtained or made by employees.
• Businesses, other than health care providers, that serve the public within a building or a defined area require all customers to wear masks while on premises, and deny entry to people not wearing masks, unless the business is providing medication, medical supplies, or food, in which case the business must provide alternative methods of pick-up or delivery of such goods.
• Customers who cannot wear a mask due to a medical condition, and children under the age of two, may enter the premises without a mask. Customers are not required to provide documentation of a medical condition.
• Individuals over age 2 are required (PDF) to wear face coverings in indoor or outdoor locations where maintaining 6 feet distance is not possible. This includes while working at the workplace or off site, interacting with or working in a space visited by the public, where food is being packaged or prepared, and in common areas and spaces where others are present.

NOTE: In Pennsylvania, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Puerto Rico

Requirement:

• People are required to wear face coverings when in public spaces.
• Businesses must ensure customers are wearing face coverings.

Rhode Island

Thirty-Eighth Supplemental Emergency Declaration — Continuing to Requiring Cloth Face Coverings in Public (PDF)

Requirement:

• Employees, customers, and visitors to essential and reopening businesses must wear face coverings.
• All individuals over age 2 must wear face coverings in indoor and outdoor public places.
• Find guidance here.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

South Carolina

COVID-19 Re-Opening Guidance for Businesses (PDF)

Recommendation:

• Employees should be encouraged to wear masks or cloth face coverings, especially when in settings in which social distancing is not feasible.
• Cloth face coverings should be optional for employees with underlying respiratory illness, but if not worn, social distancing must be performed.

NOTE: In South Carolina, many localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

See this article for a list of Cities and Counties.

South Dakota

Precautions to Avoid Illness

Recommendation:

• People are encouraged to wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain, especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Tennessee

An Order Allowing Tennesseans to return to Work Safely while Encouraging Continued Adherence to Health Guidelines to Limit the Spread of COVID-19 (PDF)

Recommendation:

• Employees are encouraged to wear a face covering at work. Members of the public are encouraged to wear a face covering in public places.

NOTE: In Tennessee, many localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Texas

Executive Order GA29 (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Every person over age 9 shall wear a face covering over the nose and mouth when inside a commercial entity or other building or space open to the public, or when in an outdoor public space, wherever it is not feasible to maintain six feet of social distancing from another person not in the same household.
• People in counties with minimal COVID-19 cases as certified by the state are exempt, but are strongly encouraged to wear face coverings.

NOTE: In Texas, many localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers.Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

See this article for a list of Counties that have opted out of the order.

Utah

Updating the Utah COVID-19 Health Risk Status in Certain Areas And Adopting Version 4.6 of the Phased Guidelines (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Individuals acting in the capacity of an employee of a business are required to wear a face covering when unable to maintain a distance of 6 feet from another individual.
• Face coverings are strongly recommended for all other individuals.
• Face coverings will be required for all students, faculty, staff and visitors of K-12 and charter schools, in buildings and on buses.

NOTE: In Utah, some localities have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

See this article for information on certain Counties.

Vermont

COVID-19 Recovery Resource Center

Requirement:

• All businesses operating during the state of emergency must require employees to wear non-medical cloth face coverings over their nose and mouth when in the presence of others.
• In the case of retail cashiers, a translucent shield or “sneeze guard” is acceptable in lieu of a mask.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Virginia

Order of Public Health Emergency Five, Requirement to Wear Face Covering while Inside Buildings (PDF)

Requirement:

• Essential retail businesses (PDF) must provide face coverings to employees.
• Required for some businesses.
• Retail, restaurant and other food and beverage establishments, gyms and fitness centers, and personal care services must require employees in public facing areas to wear face coverings. Personal care services must also require patrons to wear face coverings. Businesses may deny entry to patrons not wearing face coverings.
• Required (PDF) for patrons over age 10 when in essential and reopened businesses and any other indoor place shared by groups of people who are in close proximity to each other.
• Find guidance here.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Washington

Face Masks or Cloth Face Covering

Requirement:

• Residents are required (PDF) to wear cloth face coverings when they are in indoor or outdoor public settings where they cannot maintain 6 feet of distance from others.
• Businesses serving the public must require employees to wear face coverings and strictly enforce the requirement and refuse to serve patrons not wearing masks.
• All employers (PDF) must identify PPE and cloth facial coverings in accordance with requirements on facial coverings and industry specific COVID-19 standards (PDF) and provide the necessary PPE and supplies to employees.

NOTE: In Washington, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

West Virginia

Executive Order 50-20 (PDF)

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• All individuals over age 9 must wear a face covering when in confined indoor spaces and when not able to adequately social distance from others.
• Small businesses (PDF) (10 or fewer employees) are recommended to require their employees who have contact with customers to wear a mask and gloves.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

Wisconsin

COVID-19: Avoid Illness

Recommendation:

• People should wear a cloth face cover when outside the home conducting essential activities.
• Municipalities of Milwaukee, Dane County, Madison. and other smaller counties such as Ashland, Bayfield, Glendale. and Shorewood enacted ordinances or orders mandating that residents and employees wear masks. While each ordinance or order differs in the specific requirements, the requirement to wear a mask applies to all indoor public spaces, including workplaces and outdoor.

NOTE: Other localities may have provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.

See this article for a list of Cities and Counties.

Wyoming

Requirement & Recommendation (dependent on the circumstance):

• Required for employees of reopening businesses.
• Required for personal care services employees and patrons.
• Grocery store and retail personnel are recommended (PDF) to follow CDC guidance regarding wearing face coverings while at work. Customers should be encouraged to wear face coverings while in the store.

NOTE: In Wyoming, at least one locality has provisions concerning face coverings for employees and/or customers. Please check with your locality to be sure of all requirements.