A state of emergency gives broad powers to the government in response to an acute crisis. It allows the government to bypass a lot of normal procedures and rapidly deploy resources and personnel.
States of emergencies can be declared by both the national and local governments, but they usually give more sweeping power to the federal government. They can be used during a natural disaster, an epidemic, or other serious situation that threatens public health or public safety.
When a state of emergency is declared, the government may use special laws to suspend many civil rights and allow the military to take control. These laws often apply to areas affected by a natural disaster or civil unrest, and they are usually short-term measures designed to address the specific problem.
The government also uses the state of emergency to suspend constitutional safeguards and restrict freedom of speech, assembly, and travel. They can also confiscate property and censor news outlets. These restrictions are generally lifted when the state of emergency ends, but they can be renewed for one year.
Some governments like these extra powers a little too much and keep declaring states of emergency to justify limiting civil rights and freedoms. For example, India was under a state of emergency for 21 months under Indira Gandhi in 1975, and Mauritius was under a state of emergency for a period of time in 1972 because of industrial unrest and ethnic-related violence.
Large and small private businesses should develop a state of emergency plan to ensure that their employees stay safe when an emergency occurs. This should include a clear definition of who is essential and a process to determine when it is necessary to restrict employee travel.
