MN Mask Mandate – Impact on ALL MN Businesses

How to ensure compliance – Executive Order takes effect Saturday, July 25

Governor Walz recently issued an executive order requiring all Minnesotans wear a face-covering indoors beginning July 25. This includes all indoor businesses, including all printers. Workers must also wear face coverings when working outside when it is not possible to maintain social distancing.

All businesses must update their COVID-19 Preparedness Plan to include this face-covering requirement. In addition, signs must be posted and visible to all people instructing them to wear face coverings.

Businesses must require that all workers, customers, and visitors wear face coverings. The order makes no exemption for social distancing. Unless there are walls of at least face-height surrounding the workstation, employees will not be exempt.

Businesses may require a worker to provide documentation (view page 12 of the Governor’s Executive order for more details). They are not authorized to use force to ensure compliance. Individuals can be fined up to $100 for violating the order. Businesses can have civil penalties of up to $25,000 per occurrence of violations, including up to $1,000 or 90 days imprisonment for business owners, managers, and supervisors.

More information can be found on the PIM COVID-19 page.


Some Exemptions to Order

  • Individuals with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that makes it unreasonable for the individual to maintain a face covering
  • Individuals at their workplace when wearing a face covering would create a job hazard for the individual or others
  • While communicating with an individual who is deaf or hearing impaired
  • When an individual is alone, including when alone in a closed office, a room, a cubicle with walls higher than face level when social distancing is maintained, or a vehicle.
  • When eating or drinking in an indoor business or indoor public space, provided that at least 6 feet of distance is maintained
  • In situations where an individual is exempted from wearing a face covering, a face shield is encouraged, but not required.
  • When possible, individuals with a medical exemption must be accommodated, such as permitting face shields or providing options that do not require customers/visitors to enter a business.
  • Businesses may not require proof of a medical exemption for customers.

A Goldman Sachs study recently published showed that a masking mandate alone in our country could prevent up to a 5% loss in GDP that would come from additional lockdown measures.” Steve Grove, Commissioner, MN DEED


Please direct all COVID-19 or any EHS questions to Printing Industry Midwest’s (PIM) Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) staff, Paul Gutkowski at (paulg@pimw.org, 612.400.6205) or Cathy Malinowski at (cathym@pimw.org, 612.868.6771).


Sadie Hagen
Author: Sadie Hagen