Barbershops, Salons Can Reopen For Essential Workers: MD Governor

MARYLAND — Barbershops and salons serving essential employees may open, after the governor had ordered them closed earlier this spring. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan issued guidance Monday through his Office of Legal Counsel that while most barbershops and salons must remain closed, barbers and salons may provide services by appointment for those who are employees of businesses and organizations that have not been ordered to close.

Face coverings are required unless they make it impossible for the service to be performed.

Instead of giving them carte blanche to reopen, Gov. Hogan's Office of Legal Counsel said in a statement that it "recommends that enforcement action not be taken" against barbers and salons serving employees of essential businesses.

Here are the state's protocols that must be followed for salons and barbers to open:

• Appointments are required. No walk-ins.
• One customer in the establishment at a time.
• Both customer and barber or salon staff must wear face coverings "except to the extent that a face covering on the customer would make it impossible for services to be performed," the guidance says.
• The services performed must be necessary for the customer to meet grooming standards established by the customer’s employer. Written documentation of the grooming standards required by the customer's employer, such as a letter from the employer or a copy of the employer's policy outlining grooming standards, are required. The barber or salon must keep a copy of this document for records.
• The barber or salon must clean and disinfect the area after each customer in accordance with state and federal guidelines.

See the governor's guidance about barbershops and salons.

The change in policy came after MoveOn and Change.org petitions called for barbers and hairstylists to be able to return to work, serving one client at a time to ensure proper social distancing guidance was met.