We pride ourselves on being a trusted partner with our members and the greater association community. As we monitor guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) and the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), we invite you to do the same. The following resources are designed to streamline the flood of COVID-19 Coronavirus information circulating and offer tips to help you and your association move forward in this changing business environment. If you have any questions or would like to share what your organization is doing, please contact Michelle at mczosek@wsae.org.
Government-issued orders
- December 20, 2021 - Public Health Madison & Dane County issued Face Covering Emergency Order #6, effective on January 3, 2022, as the current order expires. The Order requires face coverings among people ages two and older when in most enclosed spaces open to the public where other people are present, and is in place through February 1, 2022.
- November 23, 2021 - Public Health Madison & Dane County issued Face Covering Emergency Order #5, effective at 12:01 am on November 27, 2021. The Order requires face coverings among people ages two and older when in most enclosed spaces open to the public where other people are present, although it also includes an exception for fully-vaccinated groups of people. The order will expire on January 3, 2022.
- November 1, 2021 - Face Covering Emergency Order #4 takes effect in Dane County on November 5, 2021 and lasts 22 days. This order will expire on Saturday, November 27, and at this point in time, Public Health Madison & Dane County does not plan to replace it with any other mask requirements.
- October 4, 2021 - Face Covering Emergency Order #3 goes in effect October 8, 2021, through November 5. 2021.
- September 10, 2021 - Face Covering Emergency Order #2 is in effect in Dane County, through October 8, 2021. See this Public Health Madison & Dane County news release for details.
- August 19, 2021 - In Dane County, face coverings will be required among people ages two and older in any enclosed space open to the public where other people, except for members of the person’s own household or living unit are present. Face coverings are also required while driving or riding in any form of public transportation. See Face Covering Emergency Order and this news release for details. This order is in effect until September 10, 2021.
- November 17, 2020 - Public Health Madison & Dane County issued Emergency Order #10, prohibiting all indoor gatherings and limiting outdoor gatherings to 10 people or fewer, with physical distancing. The previous limit for gatherings was 10 indoors and 25 outdoors, with physical distancing. The order takes effect Nov. 18 at 12:01 a.m. and remains in effect until Dec. 16 at 12:01 a.m.
- November 10, 2020 - Gov. Tony Evers signed Executive Order #94, calling for unity, working together, and advising Wisconsinites to stay home.
- October 6, 2020 - Gov. Tony Evers today directed Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue Emergency Order #3 limiting public gatherings to no more than 25 percent of a room or building’s total occupancy. See full order and list of exemptions. This directive is effective at 8 a.m. on Oct. 8, 2020, and will remain in effect until Nov. 6, 2020, and applies to any gatherings at locations that are open to the public such as stores, restaurants, and other businesses that allow public entry, as well as spaces with ticketed events. A frequently asked questions document is available for review here.
- September 22, 2020 - Gov. Tony Evers today declared a new public health emergency in Wisconsin due to recent surge in cases among young people and issued a new face coverings order. Executive Order #90. Emergency Order #1.
- July 30, 2020 - Governor Evers has issued an emergency order requiring that individuals age five and older wear a mask or face covering when indoors or in an enclosed space (other than a private residence) and other people are present in the same room or space. The requirement takes effect Saturday, Aug. 1, at 12:01 a.m. and is set to expire on Monday, Sept. 28. Violators may be subject to a $200 fine.
Read the full emergency order here: https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/EmO01-FaceCoverings.pdf
An FAQ document about the order can be found here: https://evers.wi.gov/Documents/COVID19/FaceCoveringFAQ.pdf
- May 13, 2020 - Governor Ever's Statewide, Safer at Home Order Struck Down by Wisconsin Supreme Court. Some counties and municipalities issue their own Safer at Home orders.
- April 16, 2020 - Gov. Evers extended the “Safer at Home” order until at least May 26.
- March 25, 2020 - Gov. Tony Evers has directed Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary-designee Andrea Palm to issue a Safer at Home order that prohibits all nonessential travel, with some exceptions as clarified and defined in the order. The order is available here. The order is effective until April 24, 2020, or until a superseding order is issued.
Webinars
WSAE invites you to view these free webinars focusing on COVID-related issues, hosted by Association Societies Alliance (ASA). WSAE is a member of ASA.
Meeting Contract Considerations During and Beyond COVID-19: Ask the Association Attorneys
by Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq., Managing Partner, Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC and Nisha G. Thakker, Esq., Counsel, Tenenbaum Law Group PLLC
Associations are dealing with enormous change in the way they conduct events as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In a session that will be audience-driven, association attorneys Jeff Tenenbaum and Nisha Thakker will address pandemic-related legal issues focused on meeting contract cancellations and attrition and liabilities for in-person meetings, as well as addressing contract provisions to protect associations in connection with future events. Jeff and Nisha will go beyond force majeure and COVID-specific provisions and highlight contract terms and negotiation strategies and tactics to provide associations with greater flexibility as they continue to navigate an uncertain in-person event landscape.
Among other things, Jeff and Nisha will discuss:
- Room block reviews and timelines
- Attrition for room blocks and food and beverage
- Deposit amounts and deposit schedules
- Cancellation fees
- Rebook and resell clauses
- Force majeure provisions
- Bankruptcy and change of brand/management
Also available (scroll down):
- Post-COVID Return to the Workplace: HR and Office Considerations for Associations
- Office Lease Challenges During and After the Pandemic
- Paycheck Protection Program 2.0: Everything Associations Need to Know
- Creative Solutions for Associations' 2021 Meeting and Conference Legal Challenges
- Legal Governance Challenges for Associations During a Pandemic
- Adding Member Value in Time of COVID-19
Other resources