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ARTICLE · 06 JULY 2020

New York State Reopening Guidelines Require Higher Education Institutions To Develop Reopening Safety Plans

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As regions across New York State prepare to enter Phase Four of reopening, the New York State Department of Health ("NYDOH") has released its "Interim Guidance for Higher Education During...

United StatesConsumer Protection
Bran Noonan
Bran Noonan
Mohammad B. Shihabi
Mohammad B. Shihabi
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As regions across New York State prepare to enter Phase Four of reopening, the New York State Department of Health ("NYDOH") has released its "Interim Guidance for Higher Education During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency." As explained in our previous client alert, prior to reopening, all New York businesses and institutions, including those previously allowed to open as "essential," must follow comprehensive, industry-specific reopening guidelines and rules.

The new guidance is intended to address all types of in-person higher education institutions, such as community colleges, universities, and graduate and professional schools. In addition to certain mandatory elements that must be followed, unlike other industry guidelines, rather than provide a template safety plan, the higher education guidelines require that institutions develop and then submit their own safety plan to NYDOH for approval. Following approval, higher education institutions must then

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