To think shop workers shouldn't be asking people why they aren't wearing a mask?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

My friend is epileptic. She can't wear a mask because it takes very little to trigger a fit, and wearing a mask creates too much of a risk. Over the last 2 days she's been asked in 3 different places (Greggs, Morrison's and the Co-Op) in an abrupt and snotty way "Where is your mask?" By staff. This is with lots of other customers around. She responded "I'm medically exempt" and has been asked why she's exempt in two of those places. She's also been told (online) that she should stay in to protect others and get someone else to do her shopping etc.

AIBU to think this is appalling ableist behaviour to put someone on the spot in front of others? She doesn't owe anyone her medical history. Yes there's sunflower lanyards she can pick up but she's apprehensive about wearing anything around her neck for obvious reasons. Why can't we just trust others that they're doing it in their best interests?

Face covering. 😳 not fence

Drumple you should definitely complain. That woman had no right to query the nature of your exemption.

She also shouldn't have treated you differently by moving you to the back of the queue.

I don’t think I could have made t any clearer could I?

Shop assistant, "madam, where is your mask?"
Exempt person, "I am medically exempt"

Clearly that isn't happening some shop staff are asking for explicit reasons which they have no right to do.

Just because you would accept that doesn't mean everyone does.

Drumple
Complain to manager clearly they need more staff training. And that member of staff needs pulling up on thier attitude.

That lanyard and badge really couldn't have been any clearer Drumple.

AND you told her several times that you were exempt. She treated you appallingly.

If that happened to me I would be complaining to the company. Employers have a responsibility to make sure their employees know that if someone says they are exempt then that's it. They can't insist the exempt person wears a mask, or ask what the reason for the exemption is.

Employers have a responsibility to make sure their employees know that if someone says they are exempt then that's it

Employers also have a duty to their staff to keep them safe. Reports of an outbreak amongst staff in a supermarket in Coventry - be interesting to see what PHE recommend

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras

Employers have a responsibility to make sure their employees know that if someone says they are exempt then that's it

Employers also have a duty to their staff to keep them safe. Reports of an outbreak amongst staff in a supermarket in Coventry - be interesting to see what PHE recommend

Mployees of a supermarket have no right to question me. At all. She had no right to even ask me according to thr law.

Employees

The.

Also, none of the reports I’ve seen on the supermarket indicate whether the staff caught it from another staff member or a member of the public, do they?

@Druple, So you believe that your right not to have to answer a simple question should trump the right of minimum wage worker to be safe in their workplace?

If I worked regularly in a shop you could damn sure I would ask everyone without a mask where their mask was because I have children who rely on me alive and not hospitalized. I ask visitors to the care home I work in the same questions for the same reason. I quite like being alive, not in hospital and not too ill to work and I'm quite certain my kids like that for me too. I think they're more important than someone being a bit miffed that they got asked a simple question.

I answered her question. Numerous times. AND I wore a lanyard WITH a badge on it.

Technically, I don’t in law have to answer her questions. I chose to.

And how much wages are is irrelevant.

@DandelionWars

So you believe that your right not to have to answer a simple question should trump the right of minimum wage worker to be safe in their workplace?

How would someone answering a question or not have even the slightest impact on your safety in the work place? Someone could refuse to answer, answer with the truth or answer with a lie but it doesn't change the fact that a) some people are genuinely and legally exempt from wearing a face covering because of disability (either physical and/or mental) b) preventing them from going into a shop risks breaching equality laws and c) what they do or don't say makes no difference to the risk to you or anyone else.

Druple, So you believe that your right not to have to answer a simple question should trump the right of minimum wage worker to be safe in their workplace?

The fact that she said she was exempt on medical grounds and the lanyard were enough.
Shop staff have no right to know your private medical details at all. It is gov guidelines that you cannot ask such personal question.
Which part of that is too difficult for you?

What a company choses to pay thier staff is irrelevant.

I answered her. I did more than the law expects of me.

She was the one who was in the wrong not me.

I did what she asked. I told her I was exempt. The only bit I baulked at was telling her why.

I also had a sunflower lanyard and badge hanging around my neck outside my cardigan - so visible - and I lifted that up to show her too

And I’m not a bit miffed because I got asked a simple question.

Way to downplay and minimise what happened to me.

She aggressively asked me. Twice. And sent me to the back of the queue. And then pushed it again when I was back at the front of the queue.

And I could have lied. I’m not and I didn’t but I could have lied and said I was exempt when I’m not.

People are exempt.

Those who aren’t wearing masks are either legitimately exempt or dickheads making a point.

What difference does it make to your safety which they are?

I went to Lidl earlier and compliance was poor. I know hidden disabilities are a thing but find it hard to believe all the people I saw with no masks had a good reason.

So I wouldn't mind seeing some effort to enforce the law.

I just want to know. How does it make any difference to how safe someone is whether I’m legitimately not wearing a mask or whether I’m a dickhead who wants to make a point? How does my motivation for not wearing a mask affect the safety of the shop assistant?

I was responding to the part where Druole said the shopworker had no right to ask. She had every right to ask. If course the rest of her behaviour was wrong and Druple should complain but shop workers have every right to expect shoppers to do their part to keep them safe.

And it makes every bit of difference why people are not wearing masks. If only those legitimately exempt were not wearing masks there would be a lot more people in masks and shop work would be a lot safer.

@DandelionWars

I was responding to the part where Druole said the shopworker had no right to ask. She had every right to ask. If course the rest of her behaviour was wrong and Druple should complain but shop workers have every right to expect shoppers to do their part to keep them safe.

And it makes every bit of difference why people are not wearing masks. If only those legitimately exempt were not wearing masks there would be a lot more people in masks and shop work would be a lot safer.

In law, she had absolutely no right to ask. The legislation says only police or other authorised officers such as transport staff or other official. Not a shop assistant.

My motivation for not wearing a mask does not affect how safe a shop worker is from me. Not at all.

And I did answer the woman, and I had a lanyard and a card. Prominently round my bloody neck.

I'm back in my friends shop tonight. Of the first 6 people in the shop only two were wearing masks both were elderly and one was visibly disabled. The non mask wearers were all young and apparently healthy. I'm aware invisible disabilities exist but four young people, from two different social groups in the same shop all with hidden disabilities which exempt them from wearing masks. Sorry but I don't buy it. I did ask them. Two claimed asthma, one had hay-fever one just shrugged and said I'm exempt. That is why people are being asked why they are not wearing one.

@DandelionWars

I'm back in my friends shop tonight. Of the first 6 people in the shop only two were wearing masks both were elderly and one was visibly disabled. The non mask wearers were all young and apparently healthy. I'm aware invisible disabilities exist but four young people, from two different social groups in the same shop all with hidden disabilities which exempt them from wearing masks. Sorry but I don't buy it. I did ask them. Two claimed asthma, one had hay-fever one just shrugged and said I'm exempt. That is why people are being asked why they are not wearing one.

What did you ask them?