The state sees more allowances for services as it enters “Stage 2” of its reopening and the COVID-19 pandemic slows down across New Jersey.

How New Jersey's towns and restaurants are planning for an al fresco summer.

On June 10 the city adopted an ordinance permitting restaurants to reopen on June 15 – the day outdoor dining resumes in the state – for indoor dining with 25 percent capacity or 50 people, whichever is lower. 

That includes beauty salons, barber shops, cosmetology shops, day and medical spas, electrology facilities, hair braiding shops, massage parlors, nail salons, tanning salons and tattoo parlors, with standards and protocols set to come from the Division of Consumer Affairs.

“We have worked with the governing body of Asbury Park to try to amicably resolve the issue of their resolution regarding indoor dining. Unfortunately, they have not done so," the governor said Friday.

With retail shops and restaurants slated to restart operations on Monday – and nail and hair salons, gyms and outdoor recreation in the near future – many of the more than 1.2 million New Jersey residents on unemployment could be called back to work. So what if employers don't adhere to sanitization and health guidelines, and workers do not feel that the business is making an effort to guard against COVID-19?

Al fresco services and ceremonies can start again – and so can catering – so long as parties stay limited to 100 people.

“With all due respect, we cannot have communities mirroring the cavalier actions taken in other states that have not put a premium on … the health of their residents,” the governor said in response to the city's ordinance, which would have permitted service indoors, at reduced capacity, beginning June 15.

While the state’s unemployment rate is at a historically high 15.3 percent, according to data released Thursday new jobless claims have dropped considerably.

At a June 9 webinar hosted by the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce and the New Jersey Business & Industry Association, Senate President Stephen Sweeney asked “Why would I open up my business if I’m going to open up to being sued?” Meanwhile, that same day at a press briefing, Gov. Phil Murphy described the concern as "an understandable one, given ... the extraordinary environment that we're in."

There are currently 900 staffers working across local health departments to track cases of the virus, the governor said. The agenda calls for 2,500 through the end of June and up to 4,000 by August.

In a letter to the governor, the 15 GOP members of the state's Upper House say that the proposal should not be pushed forward at all before the July 15 federal and state income and corporate business tax filing deadlines.