Who do I escalate this to?

[Deleted User]

 Love all this i cant wear a mask. My son is 10 with asthma, autism and learning disability, attends specialist school and he can wear a mask while we walk round a store 

JamoLew

I think it’s a regional thing Matt.

Around here it’s mostly women in their 40s

HampshireH

MrsFlahdeblah said:

Hope this is the right place for this question. I'm medically exempt from wearing a face covering. I always wear a lanyard with an exemption badge and am very careful when I'm in any shops to keep well away from people. Yesterday I visited a local garden centre/hardwear store. I haven't been there since before the 1st lock down as I did not consider anything I needed as essential. However I did need to get an item for work from them. I was in the outside part of the store when their member of staff told me their company policy was no exemptions and he could offer me a visor or mask
I showed him my already visible lanyard and explained I'm exempt by law. He said I must wear mask or visor in store. I again told him he could not tell me I was not exempt so he asked me to leave. 
So I've emailed a letter, telling the store my complaint is not with the staff member and how the store is one of my favourites but they cannot refuse exempt customers from shopping there. I attached information on this from the disability discrimination website too. 
If they do not reply or if they do not accept they cannot hold the policy they have, who do I escalate my claim to? My intention is not to cause huge fuss in already difficult times, but they cannot and should not try to remove someones rights by law. I wonder how many have been turned away? 
Thank you if you can point me in the right direction. 

What losses are you claiming for?

Or do you mean complaint and you just wish for it to be acknowledged? Very different language with potentially very different outcomes if you intend to pursue it despite not wishing to make a fuss.

MattMattMattUK

JamoLew said:

I think it’s a regional thing Matt.
Around here it’s mostly women in their 40s

The difference here would be that a lot more women than men wear visors. I do not think I have seen a man wearing a visor, where as there will be several women wearing visors every time I go to the supermarket. 

Barny1979

Following this with my popcorn bucket ready in hand.

od244051

Was this Costco?

They expect everyone over 11 to wear a face covering or shield?

od244051

For me Matt, those who don’t wear masks are customers under 30 and many live in the 200 council flats estate five minutes from work 

SingleSue

JamoLew said:

I think it is a fair comment as there are exceedingly few conditions that would exempt from a face covering AND/OR a clear visor - plus the OP specifically states exemption from face coverings only.

During the course of my job I am yet to see anyone not able to tolerate either for a short period of time (under 2 hours)

**I work in a very large and busy oncology centre, so you can envisage the general condition of some patients 

OP - maybe a general enquiry to the Manager or Regional manager. It may just be that some retraining or clarification needs to be undertaken with some staff members 

I've actually ended up bum up on the floor and with a free ambulance ride when I have worn a facemask for too long and that is for a lot less than 2 hours (my O2 sats plunge each and every time - it's not unusual to be under 92% after a short while of wearing one). Not that I ever go into a shop without a face mask despite having an exemption, I was a very early adopter of wearing one (end of Feb last year) mainly because it felt like I was doing something to either help me or someone else.

I now keep the amount of time in a shop to a minimum as pitching forward out of a wheelchair and ending up in a bum up position on the floor in the middle of a supermarket is not the most graceful of looks.

*I can't get on with a visor/shield, tremendous headaches and icky feeling, wearing a face mask but keeping time short works better.

GHolmesAdmin

I don't know the legal answer but I do know I would leave or not go into a shop if someone was in there without a mask.

SingleSue

_shel said:

 Love all this i cant wear a mask. My son is 10 with asthma, autism and learning disability, attends specialist school and he can wear a mask while we walk round a store 

Son (22), severe asthma, lung damage (born prematurely) and autism, he wears his with no issues at all. Son (24), Aspergers and brain injured, again absolutely no issue with wearing one. Like me, they were early adopters of wearing a facemask, way before it was advised and then became compulsory.

I'm the only awkward one who struggles physically but I still wear one whilst shopping, I would feel naked and exposed otherwise!