Some employees who were not wearing a mask has been a concern for some residents. This incident appears to have uncovered a loophole in the city’s new face-covering bylaw.
A resident who was shopping at a store noticed two employees working the cash register not wearing masks. When asked why they were not wearing masks, they replied that they did not need to wear them. The employees pointed to a plexiglass screen in front of the cash register to create separation between staff and customers.
They stated that their manager informed them that this constituted an area protected by a physical barrier. It seems the employees and the store were not breaking any rules.
The bylaw makes wearing face masks mandatory in all public and enclosed indoor spaces in the city in an effort to lessen the spread of COVID-19. It simply means that face coverings will be required on public transportation such as the TTC and ferries to the Toronto Islands as well as inside shops, grocery stores, and malls. Nevertheless, in an email, the City of Toronto stated that there are a few exceptions to the rule.
Some members of the public and employees may not be required to wear a mask or face covering, in relation to specific bylaw exemptions – children below two and children with certain health conditions as well as employees in designated areas or protected by a physical barrier.
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