
Governor’s Guidelines for Easing Restrictions on Businesses under Phase 3
On Tuesday, May 5th, Governor Pritzker released Restore Illinois, a five-phased plan that will reopen our state, guided by health metrics and with marked by distinct business, education, and recreation activities characterizing each phase. The Restore Illinois plan recognizes that the economy will start growing again when consumers feel that it is safe to return to work, shop and dine out, and engage in social and recreational activities. Under the Restore Illinois framework, certain businesses and activities are allowed to resume in Phase 3 with IDPH-approved safety guidance in place.
To prepare businesses and employers to implement the new safety guidelines and to bring many residents back to work, the State of Illinois has developed this business toolkit complete with signage, training checklists, and other resources to ensure business and activities are conducted in accordance with the latest and greatest public health recommendations.
Phase 3 guidelines span 10 different industry categories. Each set of guidelines includes a common set of guidelines that are expected and encouraged among all employers and activity types, as well as workplace and program-specific guidelines.
Common Guidelines for all Phase 3 Businesses and Operations to follow can be found in the Phase 3 Business Toolkit.
For Industry definitions and guidelines, please see below:

Manufacturing
Manufacturing facilities such as plants, factories and mills

Health and Fitness Centers
Gyms, fitness centers, yoga, dance, cycling, pilates, barre studios, and other customer-facing fitness centers

Offices
Non-customer-facing offices such as: legal; accounting services; architectural/engineering design; and other professional services

Personal Care Services
Hair salons, barber shops, nail salons, spas, waxing centers, tattoo parlors

Retail
Retailers and merchandisers such as: grocery stores; hardware stores; clothing stores; pharmacies; department stores; shopping malls

Outdoor Recreation
Customer facing services such as driving ranges, outdoor shooting ranges, paintball courses, outdoor adventure parks
- Guidelines
- Toolkit(coming soon)

Service Counters
Stores providing assorted services for dropped off goods, such as: dry cleaners; electronics repair shops; shoe repair shops; car washes

Day Camps
Recreational youth programs such as sports camps, recreational camps, educational camps
- Guidelines
- Toolkit (coming soon)

Youth Sports
Youth sports games or matches, group sports lessons, team or group sports practices (no competitive sports permitted in Phase 3)

Restaurants and Bars (outdoor dining and drinking)
Full-service restaurants, limited-service restaurants, snacks bars, taverns, and other food and beverage businesses
- Toolkit
Additionally, the State of Illinois is providing new guidelines for indoor/outdoor tennis, as well as revised guidelines for boating and fishing and for golf.
For more on latest guidelines for places of worship and religious services, please view safety guidelines on IDPH’s website.
We also encourage businesses to go above and beyond this guidance in prioritizing the safety and health of their workers and customers.
If you have read the industry safety guidelines above and have other specific questions or comments about how Phase 3 affects your business or employees, please feel free to get in touch with DCEO. For direct support, contact our Business Hotline Monday through Friday at 1-800-252-2923, or email at: ceo.support@illinois.gov.