• On 3/23/20, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security updated its guidance (first issued on 3/19/20) to further clarify that truck drivers—in addition to a wide range of other transportation and logistics personnel—are deemed essential workforce. The declaration now explicitly states the following occupations:
- Employees supporting or enabling transportation functions, including truck drivers, bus drivers, dispatchers, maintenance and repair technicians, warehouse workers, truck stop and rest area workers, and workers that maintain and inspect infrastructure (including those that require cross-jurisdiction travel)
- Employees of firms providing services that enable logistics operations, including cooling, storing, packaging, and distributing products for wholesale or retail sale or use.
As state and local governments implement curfews, shelter-in-place mandates and other public restrictions to slow the spread of COVID-19, it is essential that certain critical industries and workforces within those jurisdictions are permitted to continue operations.