LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Mason Prosecutor Paul Spaniola sent a cease and desist letter to a communication agency in Scottville for complaints the agency was violating Governor Gretchen Whitmer's stay-at-home order.
The attorney general's office said it received complaints the agency was continuing to require non-critical infrastructure employees to report to work, despite warnings from local police.
Nessel's office said the letter was sent to Five Cap "for failing to comply with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's Stay Home, Stay Safe executive order, which limits operations of business and other entities during the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic."
“I appreciate Prosecutor Spaniola’s cooperation and the local law enforcement authorities in Mason County who are working to enforce the Stay Home, Stay Safe order,” Nessel said. “The intent of this order is to slow the spread of COVID-19 by limiting person-to-person contact wherever possible, and that means businesses and other entities must reduce their staffing levels to what’s needed to perform only the most essential work. Any agency not complying with those instructions puts all of us at risk.”
Nessel's office said her office and Prosecutor Spaniola were made aware of several reports of Five Cap employees being called to work to file documents, draft letters and other clerical operations that aren't critical to securing the safety or welfare of the people the organization serves.
Nessel's office said the letter demands Five CAP take action to follow social distancing guidelines and comply with the order by only maintaining necessary on-site operations.
“The services which Five CAP provides to the citizens of Mason, Lake, Manistee and Newaygo counties, particularly to the disadvantaged residents, are very important and crucial for the residents’ well-being,” Spaniola said. “This is a very trying time for many of our fellow residents who find themselves recently unemployed, without health insurance and waiting for the uncertainty of unemployment payments to begin. Certainly, a number of the services provided by Five CAP meet the Governor’s definition of ‘critical infrastructure workers.’ However, the social distancing and other safety directives set forth in the Governor’s Executive Orders continue to be applicable to reduce the spread of COVID-19 to Five CAP’s employees, volunteers and consumers.”
The attorney general's office said willful violations of the stay-at-home order can result in a $1,000 fine and/or 90 days in jail for each offense, in addition to licensing penalities for business and other entities.
The attorney general's office said it recently added a new section to its website, Know Your Employment Rights, to give Michigan residents more information on the legal rights of employees and employers under the executive order.
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