SAULT STE. MARIE -- As more businesses open up, many owners are planning on asking their customers a series of health-related questions.
"We want to make sure that everybody’s safe. We want to make sure that they haven’t travelled, that there’s no risk there,"said Erica Seyler, owner of Eye Deal Optical in Sault Ste. Marie. "Also that they have no cold or flu-like symptoms, no fever or that they haven’t been around anyone with any symptoms as well."
Seyler said the asking of medical questions is about protecting her employees and future customers.
Orlando Rosa is a lawyer in Sault Ste. Marie. He expects companies that have employees who work in close contact with customers to follow Seyler.
"That is part of any employer or any business' due diligence. You need to know what your employees are exposed to," said Rosa.
So, what happens if you’re under the weather and lie to a staff member who’s asking you about your health?
Rosa said you could be in trouble and end up in court.
"Our laws are structured on the basis that if you knowingly do something that you knew or should’ve known that would create a problem or could create harm to another person, then yes, you are liable," said the Sault lawyer.
Rosa said that if you’re in doubt about your health, you should tell the person asking the questions about how you are feeling and let them make the decision whether or not you can enter the store.
