Car rental and leasing employees have been added to U.S. guidelines that identify “essential critical infrastructure workers” amid the coronavirus outbreak.
“Workers critical to rental and leasing of vehicles and equipment that facilitate continuity of operations for essential workforces and other essential travel,” the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said in its updated memo, issued Saturday.
An earlier version of the guidelines, dated March 16, covered automotive repair and maintenance as well as transportation equipment manufacturing and distribution facilities. Guidance for retail operations, including leasing and rental activities, had not been clear.
The agency said the guidelines, which cover a broad swath of industries across the nation, are advisory in nature and should not be considered a federal mandate. Individual jurisdictions should use their own discretion in determining essential-workforce categories, it said.
Last week, several trade groups — including the National Automobile Dealers Association, American International Automobile Dealers Association and National Independent Automobile Dealers Association — sent letters to the White House asking President Donald Trump to clarify that certain sales and leasing activities at franchised dealerships are considered essential services.
Attempts to reach NADA, AIADA, NIADA and the agency late Saturday were unsuccessful.
More than half of states have limited nonessential business activity that has affected dealerships. Dealer associations have lobbied for vehicle sales to be declared essential businesses.