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?

[LangClegsInSpace]

A shop assistant you mean?

If they have been properly trained and informed of the guidance that says they are not to challenge and demand reasons for exemption then they could be personally liable.

If they haven't been trained on this or their employer has misinformed them of the law, then the employer is liable.

[wanderings]

@incognitomum I probably am referring to the Scarborough case, I don't know where it was. But it just goes to show one of many unintended consequences (robbers hiding behind masks) which Boris the Clown and his merry men did not think of.

[BrightYellowDaffodil]

They’re not nosey, or self righteous. They’re doing their job.

@Whichoneofyoudidthat are you always this obnoxious?

Shop assistants - or indeed any shop worker - do not have the right to ask anyone why they are not wearing a face covering. Someone who is exempt does not have to give a reason why, nor do they have to prove anything or wear a badge/lanyard/whatever else in order to demonstrate this.

Businesses should be educating their staff on this and any members of staff who decide that their opinion trumps company policy and/or the law deserve to be disciplined.

It really isn't difficult to understand that it is not acceptable or legal to challenge someone as to why they aren't wearing a face covering, regardless of what your personal views are.

[TheGreatWave]

@LastTrainEast

Once you start coming up with reasons why not a lanyard, not a badge and not a card then I think we know this is actually about "me 'uman rights"

I think that someone who has epilepsy not wearing a lanyard is a perfectly reasonable course of action.

And no one should have to wear a lanyard, badge, sticker large fecking sign on their head if they don't want to. The fact that people think it is acceptable to demand that people do sends chills down my spine. Someone's medical history is no one else's fecking business.

[mosquitofeast]

Of course she has to expect to be asked constantly, and when mask wearing is further enforced, then even more so.

She should be carrying a card, or badge, or anything, and show it at the door.

She doesn't have the right to expect shop assistants to make no comment. This is their lives on the line.

[hellsbellsmelons]

Why can't we just trust others that they're doing it in their best interests?
Really?
There are so many idiots out there it's actually frightening.
There are tonnes of people out there that could easily wear a mask, but they don't!
THEY are the issue!

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

@longwayoff

Shop workers have human rights too, including the right to protect themselves from potential infection. Like your friend has.

So what's the answer then? Disabled people should stay at home?

[Whichoneofyoudidthat]

[quote countrygirl99]@Whichoneofyoudidthat no it isn't their job. Someone has copied the guidelines out above. I suggest you read them before you make yourself look more sanctimonious than you already have. Or perhaps you would li,e them to wear a special badge. We could make it a pretty yellow star.[/quote]
You seriously compared me to a nazi? You idiot.

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

@countrygirl99

Perhaps people should just follow the government guidelines and not challenge people not wearing a mask. Then there would be no humiliation of those who can't. But the nosey and self righteous walk among us.

This is exactly what I think too - I don't think anyone should have to have a sunflower badge or lanyard at all. Just trust one another! What kind of world have we become where we literally ask people with hidden disabilities to display the fact that they have a hidden disability in their chest as a way of "proof"?

[Whichoneofyoudidthat]

@LangClegsInSpace

A shop assistant you mean?

If they have been properly trained and informed of the guidance that says they are not to challenge and demand reasons for exemption then they could be personally liable.

If they haven't been trained on this or their employer has misinformed them of the law, then the employer is liable.

Liable for what?

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

@ScorpioSphinxInACalicoDress

How is the shop assistant supposed to know?
Sometimes a phrase isn't an -ism.
The people in shops are the ones at the frontline of this fuckwittery with seemingly half the population not wanting to wear s mask compared to about 3% who can't.
They aren't mind readers.

They don't need to know why someone isn't wearing a mask

[Willow2017]

@Whichoneofyoudidthat

Wear a lanyard. Shop assistants have a tough enough time as it is with abusive whataboutmyhumanrights people and those who claim some sort of individual sovereignty bullshit. We all have to make sacrifices.

Can’t wear a lanyard? It’s no more than a necklace.

Are you incapable of reading as well as empathy?

Shop workers have human rights too, including the right to protect themselves from potential infection. Like your friend has
Nobody has the right to challenge anyone actually never mind ask a person's medical details. Its discriminatory as pp have said. Your friend should tell them that the person asking the questions plus the store could be fined if they don't stop.

They’re not nosey, or self righteous. They’re doing their job
It's not thier job to ask peoples medical history.

The gov stated quite clearly you are not to challenge anyone not wearing a mask. If all the perfect people out there can follow some 'rules' then they should be able to follow that one too. But then they would lose thier sense of superiority and thier power trip I suppose.

[BrightYellowDaffodil]

Of course she has to expect to be asked constantly, and when mask wearing is further enforced, then even more so.

She should be carrying a card, or badge, or anything, and show it at the door.

This is from the gov.uk website:

"Those who have an age, health or disability reason for not wearing a face covering should not be routinely asked to give any written evidence of this, this includes exemption cards. No person needs to seek advice or request a letter from a medical professional about their reason for not wearing a face covering.

Some people may feel more comfortable showing something that says they do not have to wear a face covering.This could be in the form of an exemption card, badge or even a home-made sign.

This is a personal choice and is not necessary in law."

See the difference between the two?

[IAmFleshIAmBone]

Yes, stay at home or 'expect' to be publicly humiliated and shamed any time you need something from a shop. The lack of empathy from people is astounding.

[LangClegsInSpace]

Liable for what?

Disability discrimination and harassment.

[BrightYellowDaffodil]

Liable for what?

Breaching the law regarding disability discrimination.

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

It is the responsibility of the individual person with the "Hidden disability" to make people aware of their situati

I totally disagree. This is harmful and ableist. Why do people NEED to know why someone else isn't wearing a mask? Why is it the responsibility of people with disabilities to let everyone know they're disabled?

It's sails too close to the "they don't look like they need a disabled parking space" rhetoric.

[Whichoneofyoudidthat]

Good luck with that.

[Yellowfeather]

The trouble is that there are some people who are just not prepared to wear a mask, and they make it tricky for the truly exempt. If a proper card had been issued to those people for them to show on entry to shops, other people wouldn't have a reason to get annoyed.

The whole need for a mask thing has relied on peer pressure. I haven't seen it policed by shop staff anywhere I've been.

[incognitomum]

wanderings

here

[Vivana]

She needs to get something to show she has a exemption. A badge or whatever can be brought and doesn't have to be a lanyard. This is to protect shop workers and if someone is not wearing a mask and has no badge or anything to show they have a exemption then they will be asked. My dd is exempt and has a badge and no problems going into shops.

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

Just because someone is exempt (and epilepsy is not an automatic exempt condition) it doesn't stop them being an asymptomatic carrier of Covid-19
See this is the kind of distrust that pisses me off. Epilepsy may not be automatically exempt but my friend knows herself and her condition that she's lived with for 40 years so I think she's the best placed person to decide if a mask poses a risk to her or not.

It's funny how, before it was mandatory less than 2 weeks ago, barely anyone wore a mask in shops and now there's the bully Mask Police everywhere - it's almost like people enjoy the little power trips and aren't actually bothered about other people's health at all

[TheGreatWave]

There isn't anything in law that says someone can't be asked about not wearing a mask. What isn't allowed is asking for evidence.

[GlummyMcGlummerson]

@Bluegrass

If the internet wasn’t full of cunts shouting about how no one was ever going to make them wear a mask because they didn’t like them, I expect people wouldn’t be so suspicious when they hear the words “I’m medically exempt”.

So my friend has to suffer because of some random minority on the Internet?