SAN ANTONIO — Local businesses have until Monday to comply with a new executive order. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff issued the order on Wednesday mandating businesses to enforce a face-covering policy after a surge in coronavirus cases this week.
KENS 5 spoke with a local attorney who provides legal assistance to businesses in the area. He shared a checklist for businesses to prepare by Monday.
1. Formulate a health and safety policy
"And post it around their office conspicuously so that people can see it. The policy has to include a policy wearing a mask whenever it would be difficult for someone to socially distance. So, that rule is going to be different based on the business and configuration of the office," advised Joseph Hoelscher, managing attorney at Hoelscher Gebbia Cepeda law office.
2. Perform health screenings and temperature checks
"To make sure you are fully compliant, although it’s not mandatory. Businesses should develop a policy to do both of those things and a health screening can be as simple as one quick page questionnaire. Have you been sick? Have you traveled? It’s the standard set of questions," explained Hoelscher. "Temperature checks, you should use a touchless thermometer and instruct your employees on it."
3. Prepare for people to break the business policy
"Our advice is if somebody’s not going to be compliant or follow your health policy? You need to as part of the health policy, include some type of enforcement measure. Including asking them to leave, if they’re really being belligerent, risking the safety of other businesses or visitors? You should call the police," said Hoelscher.
He advises that businesses take action now to avoid violation fees, which can add up quickly. The executive order states that there is up to a $1,000 fine per violation.
"It could be each incident where an employee doesn’t have a mask. It could be each time someone comes on the premises and a warning isn’t posted conspicuously. So, you could, in theory, if you’re not in compliance with the order, commit multiple violations per day."