Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced that personal service establishments, including beauty salons, barbershops, massage therapy establishments, and establishments that provide esthetic services or nail technician services, may resume business operations as of 5:00 p.m. ET on June 5, 2020, per Executive Order 20-06-03-01 (https://governor.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Gatherings-EIGH...). This moves the state into Stage Two of the Maryland Strong: Roadmap to Recovery (https://governor.maryland.gov/recovery/)—a gradual, safe path forward for rebuilding the state economy.
Pursuant to Executive Order 20-06-03-01, businesses that reopen must operate at 50 percent capacity, by appointment only, and must follow appropriate health and safety guidelines. Beauty salons may only provide hair services at this time. Staff and clients are required to wear face coverings, except when a face covering would make it impossible for services to be performed. Staff must clean and disinfect areas in which services were performed after each client in accordance with CDC and Maryland Department of Health guidance. “Best Practices for Businesses to Reopen” guidelines have also been posted for personal services. (https://commerce.maryland.gov/Documents/BusinessResource/Personal-Servic...). For further safety protocols, we encourage you to refer to the back-to-practice guidelines we have assembled at the links below.
We are aware the executive order refers to massage establishments as “massage parlors,” and have addressed this issue with the governor and the secretary of the Department of Health.
NOTE: With some states giving authority to local governments regarding work authorization, your liability insurance is only valid if you comply with whichever regulations are the most restrictive—state or local. If you are not authorized to work per state or regional orders, and you are working, you are not in compliance with your state or local regulations and therefore your insurance would not be valid.
Additional Safety Resources
ABMP, ASCP, AHP, and ANP understand there is a fine line between getting back to work and earning an income and protecting the safety of you and your clients. As you consider returning to work, we urge you to make government permission to work only one element of your decision about whether and when to reopen. Please review our comprehensive series of back-to-practice guidelines to help reduce risk and keep you and your clients safe.
- Massage practitioners: ABMP Back-to-Practice Guidelines (https://www.abmp.com/back-to-practice/summary)
- Estheticians: ASCP Back-to-Practice Guidelines (www.ascpskincare.com/back-to-practice/summary)
- Cosmetologists: AHP Back-to-Practice Guidelines (www.associatedhairprofessionals.com/back-to-practice/summary)
- Nail professionals: ANP Back-to-Practice Guidelines (https://www.nailprofessional.com/back-to-practice/summary)
We also have helpful forms and printouts available on our website, (https://www.abmp.com/back-to-practice/forms-printouts) including office policies, screening questionnaires, and posters to remind clients about social distancing and handwashing.
We appreciate your membership and will continue working on your behalf to update you as we learn more. Be safe and be well. Please check our COVID-19 page (https://www.abmp.com/updates/news/information-abmp-members-state-shutdow...) for updates.