Businesses urged to not assume, but ask about their essential services status

The government’s Covid-19 response task force is urging businesses to not assume, but ask about their status as Essential Services and eligibility to continue to operate.
This was announced earlier this afternoon along with the routine announcement of the status of numbers of new cases of Covid-19 infections.
Speaking on the occasion one of the senior officers referred to an announcement made earlier by the Warehouse group on social media about remaining open during the complete lockdown period when the country enters into Alert Level -4 on 11.59 pm, Wednesday, March 25.
He urged businesses to not assume about their status as essential services unilaterally.
“We have released the status of 15 businesses that would fall under the Essential Services category on the https://covid19.govt.nz/”
Later today by 5 p.m. there will be an 0800 number available where businesses in doubt can call and confirm before remaining operational during the nation-wide lockdown.
This list will evolve over time. It was last updated at 8 pm, 23 March 2020.
Sectors |
Entities providing essential services (including their supply chains) |
Accommodation Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Border Lead agency: Customs New Zealand |
|
Building and construction Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Courts, tribunals and the justice system Lead agency: Ministry of Justice |
|
Education Lead agency: Ministry of Education |
At level 3 only:
|
Fast-moving consumer goods Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Financial services Lead agencies: Financial Markets Authority and Reserve Bank of New Zealand |
|
Health Lead agency: Ministry of Health |
|
Local and national government Lead agencies: Department of Internal Affairs (local government) and State Services Commission (national government) |
|
Primary industries, including food and beverage production and processing Lead agency: Ministry for Primary Industries |
|
Public safety and national security Lead agency: National Emergency Management Agency |
|
Science Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Social services Lead Agency: Ministry of Social Development/Oranga Tamariki |
|
Transport and logistics Lead agency: Ministry of Transport |
|
Utilities and communications, including supply chains Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and Ministry for Culture and Heritage (for broadcasting) |
|
For the avoidance of doubt, specified sectors and occupations in the following are also included in this list of essential services:
-
Schedule 1 of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management CDEM Act 2002 Schedule 1 of lifeline utilities, and
-
Employment Relations Act 2000 Schedule 1 of essential services.
The entities listed above will continue working, but will put in place alternative ways of working to keep employees safe, including shift-based working, staggered meal breaks, flexible leave arrangements and physical distancing.
We are setting up a call centre and free 0800 number to help answer questions about this.
The government’s Covid-19 response task force is urging businesses to not assume, but ask about their status as Essential Services and eligibility to continue to operate.
This was announced earlier this afternoon along with the routine announcement of the status of numbers of new cases of Covid-19...
The government’s Covid-19 response task force is urging businesses to not assume, but ask about their status as Essential Services and eligibility to continue to operate.
This was announced earlier this afternoon along with the routine announcement of the status of numbers of new cases of Covid-19 infections.
Speaking on the occasion one of the senior officers referred to an announcement made earlier by the Warehouse group on social media about remaining open during the complete lockdown period when the country enters into Alert Level -4 on 11.59 pm, Wednesday, March 25.
He urged businesses to not assume about their status as essential services unilaterally.
“We have released the status of 15 businesses that would fall under the Essential Services category on the https://covid19.govt.nz/”
Later today by 5 p.m. there will be an 0800 number available where businesses in doubt can call and confirm before remaining operational during the nation-wide lockdown.
This list will evolve over time. It was last updated at 8 pm, 23 March 2020.
Sectors |
Entities providing essential services (including their supply chains) |
Accommodation Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Border Lead agency: Customs New Zealand |
|
Building and construction Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Courts, tribunals and the justice system Lead agency: Ministry of Justice |
|
Education Lead agency: Ministry of Education |
At level 3 only:
|
Fast-moving consumer goods Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Financial services Lead agencies: Financial Markets Authority and Reserve Bank of New Zealand |
|
Health Lead agency: Ministry of Health |
|
Local and national government Lead agencies: Department of Internal Affairs (local government) and State Services Commission (national government) |
|
Primary industries, including food and beverage production and processing Lead agency: Ministry for Primary Industries |
|
Public safety and national security Lead agency: National Emergency Management Agency |
|
Science Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
|
Social services Lead Agency: Ministry of Social Development/Oranga Tamariki |
|
Transport and logistics Lead agency: Ministry of Transport |
|
Utilities and communications, including supply chains Lead agency: Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and Ministry for Culture and Heritage (for broadcasting) |
|
For the avoidance of doubt, specified sectors and occupations in the following are also included in this list of essential services:
-
Schedule 1 of the Civil Defence and Emergency Management CDEM Act 2002 Schedule 1 of lifeline utilities, and
-
Employment Relations Act 2000 Schedule 1 of essential services.
The entities listed above will continue working, but will put in place alternative ways of working to keep employees safe, including shift-based working, staggered meal breaks, flexible leave arrangements and physical distancing.
We are setting up a call centre and free 0800 number to help answer questions about this.
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