The Michigan Chamber of Commerce in Lansing today released preliminary results from a survey sent to its members on April 8 that showed a majority of respondents say they will restart operations once Gov. Whitmer’s Stay at Home order is lifted.
“Chamber members have consistently stated that they support safety first, but also believe that our workforce cannot be sidelined indefinitely without causing long-term damage to our economy,” says Jim Holcomb, senior executive vice president of the Michigan Chamber.
Below is the response to three questions the Chamber asked its members:
Q: What do you need to restart or bring employees back?
A: 70.5 percent said For the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order to be lifted.
Q: Do you support a phased-in approach to restarting economic activities? For example, should low-risk industries be able to restart quicker than should high-risk industries?
A: 69 percent said Yes, nine percent said No
Q: If the “Stay Home” Order must be extended beyond April 30, do you think it should apply to the whole state or should it be based on hot spots/high-risk geographic regions?
A: 57 percent said it should be geographically based/limited to high risk regions of the state, while 21 percent said it should apply to the whole state
“State government must protect both public health and jobs. If the statewide Stay At Home order is to be extended, we strongly urge Gov. Whitmer to allow all employers that can operate safely, to reopen. State government must act now for our citizens and businesses,” says Rich Studley, president and CEO of the Michigan Chamber.
The Michigan Chamber is a statewide business organization that represents approximately 5,000 employers, trade associations, and local chambers of commerce. The chamber’s survey was intended to provide timely and helpful information from job providers to the Legislature and the Administration on the impact of the current public health emergency on the state’s economic health.
The Chamber represents businesses of every size and type. It was established in 1959 to be an advocate for Michigan job providers in the legislative, political, and legal process.
