Working under Alert Level 4
During Alert Level 4 there are a limited number of businesses and services that can continue to operate.
Under Alert Level 4 workplaces can only open if they are an Alert Level 4 business or service (as set out in schedule 2 of the COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 9)), or they are exempt.
It is up to businesses to check if they meet the criteria of an Alert Level 4 business or service.
Businesses that can have customers on their premises
During alert level 4 the following businesses can open to customers:
- supermarket, dairy or food bank;
- pharmacy;
- liquor store (only Licensing Trust stores in the 4 Licensing Trust Areas with a monopoly can sell alcohol);
- petrol station;
- self-service laundry;
- banks and financial institutions;
- hardware store, for trade customers only;
- health service;
- accommodation service;
- court or tribunal;
- social and community-based service to maintain critical wellbeing or crisis support;
- emergency service;
- Parliamentary services;
- passenger services, including public transport by road, rail, air or sea;
- school hostel.
Businesses and services that can operate under alert level 4
In addition, the following businesses or services are defined as Alert Level 4 businesses or services:
- uncooked food delivery services and cooked food delivery services where referred by the Ministry of Social Development, a District Health Board or the Accident Compensation Corporation (for example, Meals on Wheels);
- Sale of essential non-food consumer products (via online delivery);
- Building, construction, and maintenance services required to address immediate risks to health and safety or for nationally important infrastructure;
- Entities with statutory responsibilities for building and resource consenting that are necessary to enable essential building, construction, and maintenance services;
- Primary industries (food and beverage processing, packaging, and production for both domestic consumption or export, plus the relevant support services) and veterinary and animal health and welfare services;
- Scientific services (including research organisations);
- Entities required to provide distance or online learning for primary and secondary education;
- Key utilities, which means utilities that provide for the production, supply, sale, distribution, or disposal of:
- electricity;
- gas;
- water;
- wastewater (for example, sanitation);
- waste (for example, rubbish collection and recycling);
- liquid or solid fuel; or
- telecommunications;
- Key communications, meaning news and broadcast media. This includes delivery of newspapers for non-English-language material audiences or communities that have limited access to digital connectivity and are hard to reach due to physical location;
- Foreign Government (maintaining critical operations at foreign missions based in New Zealand) ;
- Security services (including locksmiths);
- Pest management services;
- Essential elements of pulp and paper plants;
- The following business and services:
- Tiwai Point aluminium smelter:
- Methanex:
- NZ Steel
- Services for deceased persons or tūpāpaku including for example funeral homes, crematoria or cemeteries; and
- Businesses or services necessary to maintain other alert level 4 businesses or services.
Essential products?
When determining which non-food consumer products are essential, businesses should consider which products are necessary during the duration of Alert Level 4 for people to:
- Remain healthy and safe while isolating;
- Work or study from home; and
- Stay in communication with whānau and friends and remain up to date with news and health information.
Helpful links
Schedule 2 – COVID-19 Public Health Response (Alert Level Requirements) Order (No 9) 2021
What Alert Level 4 means for you
Want to know more?
If you have any questions about your status as an Alert Level 4 business or service, please contact our specialist Employment Team.
PDF version: here.