Auto sales are added to U.S. guidelines on essential workers

The U.S. newly deemed vehicle sales an essential service in revised federal guidelines Friday, potentially easing the path for auto retailers to restore more normal business operations.

“Workers critical to the manufacturing, distribution, sales, rental, leasing, repair and maintenance of vehicles and other transportation equipment" are essential, the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said. Electric-vehicle charging stations and supply chains that enable auto operations to help essential workers travel also are included.

The updated guidelines are a win for dealers that lobbied the White House after initial guidelines the agency released in mid March listed vehicle and supply manufacturing, maintenance and repair facilities as essential but didn’t reference vehicle sales or leasing operations. The agency added car rental and leasing employees on March 28.