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Massachusetts Travel Order Effective August 1, 2020

In July, Governor Baker signed an executive order which requires all travelers, residents and non-residents, arriving in Massachusetts to quarantine for 14 days if coming from a state with a higher incidence of COVID-19 than MA.

Upon implementation, that included all states except the New England states and New York, New Jersey, and Hawaii. The order went into effect on August 1, 2020. On August 4, 2020, Rhode Island was removed from the lower-risk states and travelers from Rhode Island must now quarantine.

“The rule requires that you MUST quarantine for 14 days unless you:

  1. are coming from a lower-risk state or
  2. can produce, on request, proof of negative test result for COVID-19 from a test administered on a sample taken not longer than 72 hours before your arrival in Massachusetts, or
  3. meet the exemption criteria.”

Travelers will be required to complete a travel form upon arrival. Violations to this order can result in a $500 fine per day.

Action Steps

  • Educate employees about the order and reaffirm the company’s commitment to a safe working environment;
  • Review time off policies to determine what quarantine time can be taken as paid under Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), sick time or other paid time off policies;
  • Set policies for documentation upon employees’ return;
  • Discourage business travel out of the lower-risk areas; and
  • Determine which employees can work remotely during quarantine.

For more information on how to manage your workforce in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, visit our OneDigital Coronavirus Advisory Hub, or reach out to your local OneDigital advisory team.

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