Due to citizen complaints made to the health department about local businesses because of their lack of enforcing the use of face masks and proper social distancing practices, investigators from the health department have been required to visit businesses to review the enforcement of these policies.
One of our Village businesses was found to be non-compliant and issued a formal warning. The Village wants to remind all businesses of the below rules and regulations put forth by the Department of Public Health and to ask that customers be patient and follow proper guidelines when visiting any Village business. Businesses have the right to refuse service to customers that do not comply.
Pursuant to the Department of Public Health Act, 20 LCS 2305, the Department of Public Health Power and Duties Law, 20 LCS 2310, and the Communicable Disease Code, 77 Ill. Admin. Code 690, the Department of Public Health adopted emergency regulations, 77 Ill. Admin Code 690.50, on August 7, 2020, to restrict and suppress COVID-19 as follows:
- Any business, service, facility or organization open to the public or employees shall require employees, customers, and other individuals on the premises who are over age two and able to medically tolerate a face covering to cover their nose and mouth with a face covering when on premises and unable to maintain at least a six-foot social distance. Businesses, services, facilities or organizations that offer food or beverages for in-person consumption may permit employees, customers, and other individuals to remove their face coverings while eating or drinking but must require face coverings at all other times. Businesses, services, facilities, or organizations that take reasonable efforts to require patrons and employees to wear a face covering shall be in compliance with this subsection. For retail businesses, reasonable efforts to comply with regard to customers shall be determined based on the totality of the circumstances and include, but are not limited to:
- Posting signage requiring face coverings to be worn on the premises.
- Providing face coverings to customers.
- Giving verbal warnings to customers to wear a face covering when on the premises.
- Requesting that customers leave the premises if not wearing a face covering.