As most of you are aware, as of July 7^th, all retail businesses in the State of Washington are required to abide by the new Governor’s mandate on masks and other PPE (Personal Protection Equipment).

For your Co-op this means 2 things:

• All staff are required to wear masks during the time they work in the store and are to encourage social distancing by staff and shoppers
• We are required to ask all customers to wear a mask while shopping. The mandate goes so far as to require our staff to refuse to service a customer not wearing a mask.
  https://coronavirus.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-07/Overview%20of%20mask%20order_July7.pdf

If you come into the store without a mask, a staff member will approach you and ask you to please put on a mask. If you don’t have one with you, one will be made available.

Declining to Wear a Mask

If you still decline to wear a mask or face covering, a YFC representative or employee may politely inquire as to whether you have a medical condition or disability that prevents you from wearing a mask. If you answer in the affirmative, then you are exempt from the requirement.

Under the Governor’s mandate, if a business is not adequately enforcing the face mask order or other Safe Start requirements, violations can be enforced by Labor &Industries as a safety and health violation by the employer. That could carry a penalty of nearly $10,000 or more for your Co-op. Our members would certainly not approve of such a penalty. In addition, our Board of Directors could be held personally liable if they allow us to violate a state mandate.

Medical Exemption to Wearing a Mask

PLEASE NOTE: Some staff and Working Members and shoppers may be medically exempt from wearing a face mask. So please, if you do not feel safe in an environment due to others not wearing a mask for medical purposes, and you choose to enter, you do so at your own risk.

We appeal to all our shoppers and members to understand that this is not a Co-op policy, but one we must abide by. We hope that you can accept that. If you are not comfortable wearing a mask for any length of time, then please come in, shop and leave quickly. That way you support your Co-op, get the products you want and don’t endanger your personal health.

Thanks you for your understanding and cooperation. We all want our co-op to survive this present situation and be there for our members and other shoppers long into the future!

The Board and Staff of
the Yelm Food Cooperative