Disability discrimination; face mask

[robert_harper_2000]

Hi

my gf is exempt and picks up our kids from nursery. The nursery since today decided she can no longer enter the building and must wait outside for drop off and pick up. The staff were incredibly rude and told her go round the side if she doesn’t want to wear a mask. She explained (again) she has an exemption. They said the staff if exempt won’t be wearing a mask but if parents exempt or not must wait outside. 
 

surely they can’t make her wait outside simply for being exempt? 

[daverave5387]

Hi Robert,

the nursery is actually protecting everyone from your gf,

 

• the Corona virus is just that a virus,
• it doesn't know or care your gf is exempt from wearing a 2mm piece of cloth or paper over her mouth,
• it also can't read in case she wears a card around her neck stating she is exempt,
• it doesn't have eyes so wouldn't see if she is wearing a lanyard.

 

Whilst your gf is exempt from wearing a flimsy piece of cloth or paper over her mouth,

she isn't exempt from being a carrier of the virus that could potentially pass onto someone else whilst she isn't wearing a 2mm piece of cloth of paper over her mouth.

 

Incidentally my eldest works in a nursery and they have the same rule, so my two cents, no your gf is not being discriminated against as potentially she could be a killer.

[unclebulgaria67]

As from 19th July, the legal situation changes, but  I believe any company or organisation is still allowed on public health grounds to enforce a standard of health and safety protection for anyone entering their buildings.

 

It is not as if your girlfriend is going to spend money on court proceedings to challenge this under say equalities legislation.

[dx100uk]

fantastic post dave 10/10.

 

it's often useful to also look at this from another angle.

people pick up offspring predominately for safety reasons.

it surely thus equates both ways....

 

people would not want the establishments letting in nasty beings after their offsprings...be them human or otherwise.

 

now being rude about it is another matter, but with a room full of for want of a differing phrase, 'screaming kids' the last xxhrs, things can get out of hand..

 

now if you wanted to further this, in a sensible way toward and amicable resolution...as a parent, quite rightly concerned for your health as children can be carriers, you could politely ask if there are staff there that are exempt and do not wear a mask 'around the children' and what criteria must be met by those staff for this to be allowed to happen....thus if she met those requirements, one would hope, logically they might allow her in.

 

However as pointed out earlier, they are not obliged too, esp if they are a private establishment, which goes the same for any private establishments..pubs, supermarket etc etc , if they want you to do XYZ to get in, if you don't want too, end of the matter, and ofcourse they don't even have to give a reason for refusing entry anyway...it's their property.

 

dx

 

[stu007]

I have to agree great post Dave.

 

Irrespective that someone is exempt from wearing a Face Mask that does not stop the Virus.

 

The Nursery is not only Protecting the Staff but more importantly those Children attending that Nursery and thinking of there Health and Wellbeing is the most important thing to them.

 

So if they ask those that are not wearing a mask to stay outside of the Nursery Grounds to collect there children irrespective that you are exempt from wearing a Face Mask they are doing nothing wrong but protecting all those children that attend that Nursery.

 

IMHO is this Disability Discrimination against someone Exempt from wearing a Face Mask NO.

[robert_harper_2000]

You do realise that our children are usually within 1mm of us parents for long periods of time. If we have the virus. There is zero chance our children wouldn’t have it. Our children then run up to the staff and are within 1mm. 
 

I just see it as the staff are exempt then they make an exception but parents don’t get the same rights.

[honeybee13]

Are the staff being tested regularly at work?

 

HB

[unclebulgaria67]

From memory people in most workplaces were not asked to wear masks, because the masks become damp with saliva and sweat, therefore probably not that effective and detrimental to health.  Therefore they would need to be changing the masks regularly througout the day and this would result in huge demand for masks, with all of the additional waste that would be created.

 

And there are the communication issues that come with masks, which  would be difficult, particulrly for those on the autistic spectrum.

 

Parents of the children dropping off children to school or nurseries are mostly likely only wearing the masks  for very short periods.

 

 

 

[dx100uk]

6 hours ago, robert_harper_2000 said:

I just see it as the staff are exempt then they make an exception but parents don’t get the same rights.

not sure where any parents 'rights' come into this.

the virus doesn't care.

the establishment are quite entitled to introduce any measures they wish upon people entering their property to minimise any potential risks, exempt or not, for the sake of less than 5mins of wearing one, this will gain her respect from everyone and be mutual both ways.

[The GodMother]

As a exempt person myself, this is due to a skin condition on my face that masks heat and products causes flair ups of red sore skin and blisters at time, l was told that l am exempt and that anyone who refuses to except l am exempt is discriminating against me.

This is before and after the rules change as some places have said they are still enforcing a mask policy, my local cinema has been discriminating since before masks were introduced last year.

 

I had this confirmed via phone call from my MP. 

 

[dx100uk]

quite correct... as to sit through film of at least 1.5hrs would create you an issue, however this thread is not of that ilk...

[The GodMother]

I have not been to the cinema in Years just pointing out they are a company that is discriminating against people. what is ilk

 

[dx100uk]

ilk

[ilk]

 

NOUN

1. a type of people or things similar to those already referred to.

   "the veiled suggestions that reporters of his ilk seem to be so good at" · 

   [More]

   synonyms:

   type · sort · class · category · group · set · bracket · genre · kidney · grain · species · race · strain · vintage · make · model · brand · stamp · variety · family

   • SCOTTISH

     archaic

     (of that ilk)
     of the place or estate of the same name.
     "Sir Iain Moncreiffe of that Ilk"

   .....

    

[The GodMother]

Still cant say l have every heard of it or used it.