Officials say Wegmans in Auburn was fined $1,000 for a violation of COVID-19 operating mandates from New York State.
It’s the second time that the company has been hit by a fine. Last time around, Wegmans paid the fine and refused to sign a consent order, admitting error. Instead, the company argued that they could not control their customers.
The Auburn Citizen reports that the fine was the result of a hearing that took place in December. An inspector observed a violation at the Wegmans store in Auburn.
Their reporting indicated that a manager of the Auburn store said the chain has a policy that allows customers to enter without a face covering, shop, and cash out without putting one on. That policy further does not require managers or employees to compel their removal.
“While we would love for that to be 100%, we have to balance that 1% with the risks of asking our employees to confront unmasked customers,” Wegmans said on its website.
Attorneys for Wegmans said that without proving whether the individual in question has a medical reason for not wearing a mask- the entire policy and mandate has holes in it.
RELATED READ: What happens next for Wegmans in Auburn? (The Citizen)
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