Elkhart County to fine businesses failing to follow COVID-19 safety directives

ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- Elkhart County Commissioners approved a resolution that will result in incremental fines for businesses and entities that do not follow COVID-19 safety directives.

The fines will go into effect on December 17 and can be issued by the health department, a health officer, Emergency Management director or other person designated by county officials.

Businesses and entities can be fined for:

  • Failure to post a face covering sign at every entrance
  • Failure to create a COVID-19 response plan
  • Failure to maintain sanitation measures
  • Failure to maintain social distancing measures
  • Failure to implement staff and volunteer screening
  • Failure to ensure compliance with the face covering directive
  • Conducting or hosting unauthorized gathering meeting or special or seasonal event
  • Other violations of the public health order.

The first violation will result in a written warning and no fines will be issued.

On the second violation, the entity can be fined $50 for failure to post signs, $100 for failure to create a response plan and $250 for each of the other measures. The total fine will not exceed $2500.

The third violation will result in $100 fine for failing to post the sign requiring face coverings, $200 for failure to create a response plan and $500 for each of the other measures. The total fine will not exceed $5000.

This is an updated version of the directive that was approved on Monday evening by commissioners. That resolution would have gone into effect on December 10. It was updated Tuesday so it will go into effect on December 17.

Share this article: