April 3, 2020

NJGCA April 3rd
Coronavirus Shutdown Update

URGENT: GAS STATIONS – WE NEED YOUR UPDATED STATUS
REMINDER: ALSO URGENT - LETTERS TO GOVERNOR MURPHY

UPDATED STATUSES

Just as important as your writing letters to Governor Murphy, I really need you to email Michelle at michelle@njgca.org your status if you have:

Had to reduce the hours at your gas station because of a lack of employees
Email us if you have closed your gas station because of a lack of employees
Email us if you are aware of other locations that have already closed - email us the address if you know it.
It is urgent that you report to us if you have had an employee who has tested positive or is out sick with COVID-19. This is extremely important that we get this information. We are aware of a number of these cases around the state and we expect them to grow. It is urgent for us to pass this information in real time as we get it to the governor's office.

LETTER TO GOVERNOR

If you have not done so yet, please take a minute or two to tell Governor Murphy about the struggles your business is facing and how a temporary suspension of the self-serve law would help you stay open.

Normally we pre-write messages for you to send, but we don't want the Governor to get an identical message hundreds of times. Please take a moment and write in only a few sentences (or more if you can) to spell out why a suspension of the self-serve law will help your business, your employees , and your customers.

Please tell Governor Murphy the following in your own words:

-The number of gas attendants/employees that have quit/resigned/refused to work as a matter of their personal safety and fear of being exposed to the Coronavirus.

-The number of gas attendants/employees that remain in your employ that may also leave for fear of being exposed to the Coronavirus

- Your fear of being able to remain open with a limited number of employees available to work the pumps, or worse NO EMPLOYEES to work the pumps

- Mention any conversation or communication with customers who have expressed a desire to pump their own gas for fear of having interaction with gas attendants and fear of being exposed to the Coronavirus. Mention that customers are confident and comfortable pumping their own gas and also do not want anyone touching their credit card.

- If you are shorthanded inside your convenience store, let the governor know that remaining employees who are willing to work can be re-assigned inside the convenience store where social distancing can be maintained much easier and employees are not compromised the same as at the pumps.

Regardless of how angry you may be, your letter must be polite and appropriate or it will be a bad reflection on our industry as a whole. Rude tone or foul language will have the reverse effect and cause the Governor to dismiss our position further.

You can write and send your letter by clicking here and use the NJGCA Voter Voice system HERE.