“Since the onset of the pandemic early this year, New Mexican retailers have made the safety and security of their customers, employees and local communities their highest priority,” NRF Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel Stephanie Martz said. “Retailers across the state need and deserve a transparent process for re-opening and maintaining business operations. Furthermore, the state’s new measures burden rural communities by decreasing access to essential items if local businesses are ordered closed.”
Retailers are committed to following all federal, state and local public health guidance and recommendations and have made significant investments to ensure the safety of their business environments. It is important that government officials communicate a clear and thorough process for which decisions are made that affect the bottom line for thousands of retailers.
Last month, new health safety measures went into effect as ordered by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and Acting Secretary Billy Jimenez. The new protocols state that businesses that incur four rapid responses from government officials over a two-week period will be required to close for 14 days. The state initiates a rapid response effort when it is made aware of a positive COVID-19 case in a workplace. To date, New Mexico has reported a total of 54,881 COVID-19 cases.
Under the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, state and local agencies are required to respond to a records request within three days of receipt. These actions serve to provide clarification of how government officials are making determinations that impact retail workers and store operations in communities across the state of New Mexico.
About NRF
The National Retail Federation, the world’s largest retail trade association, passionately advocates for the people, brands, policies and ideas that help retail thrive. From its headquarters in Washington, D.C., NRF empowers the industry that powers the economy. Retail is the nation’s largest private-sector employer, contributing $3.9 trillion to annual GDP and supporting one in four U.S. jobs — 52 million working Americans. For over a century, NRF has been a voice for every retailer and every retail job, educating, inspiring and communicating the powerful impact retail has on local communities and global economies.