A woman who suffers from pulmonary obstructive disease wants an apology after she was asked to leave a bridal shop for not wearing a mask.
Sanja Pahole's daughter Maja Novakovic is getting married next month in Centreville, the village in the Annapolis Valley where Pahole runs the Baked Inn Bakery.
On Saturday, Pahole went with her daughter and nine-month-old grandson to David's Bridal in Dartmouth Crossing to shop for dresses for the wedding.
They already had purchased dresses for Novakovic and her mother-in-law at the store, and a male manager listened to her reasons for not wearing a mask and was “very polite, very nice,” so Pahole was not expecting problems.
When they went in the store on Saturday afternoon, there were no other customers, Pohole said.
“There was a girl that greeted us at the front, she didn't ask about (a) mask or anything. My daughter walked in with a mask and the little baby, and my daughter kept walking toward the back of the store where the dresses are, and this girl said 'just hold a moment,' and she left, came back with (a different) manager.
“The manager walked me to the cash and she said that the store rules have been tightened and that she has to ask me to put on a mask. And I explained to her, I do respect and I do appreciate – I'm not against mask-wearing, absolutely not, (it) saves lives – however I have obstructive pulmonary disease. I suffer with severe anxiety. I wear a medical bracelet. I pointed to it, and she looked at me 'absolutely no exceptions,' she said.”
Pahole said the manager told her the U.S. chain's policy is everyone must wear a mask across the board.
Pahole, who was born in Sarajevo and suffered as a refugee through the Bosnian war before coming to Canada in 1997, took exception to that.
As a chemical engineer and food scientist, and with two police officers in the family, she told the woman she didn't believe store policies can supersede government laws that allow her a medical exemption, especially since she is willing to abide by physical distance requirements of two metres between herself and others.
But the manager disagreed, Pahole said, insisting the store is private property.
Pahole, 60, said the 20-something woman told her she can always come back when the pandemic is over.
Disappointed and humiliated
Feeling humiliated and excluded, Pohole said she left in tears.
She said her daughter's fiance, who is a police officer in the Kentville area, called the store and the manager offered to allow her to shop outside of normal hours.
“That was not mentioned to me,” Pahole said. “At that point, you drive that far to get a dress, you go home that far without a dress, you are disappointed, you are embarrassed, you're humiliated, you're hurt, I don't want to ever go there.”
She added that she wrote an email to the corporate office in the U.S. and the district manager reached out to offer apologies, as well as a chance to shop early in the morning or late in the evening. But Pahole said she can't go at either time because of her baking business.
Pahole asked for an official letter from the company and a phone call from the manager who made her leave. She has not received either so far.
N.S.: Businesses have rights to set policy
Representatives of the David's Bridal shop in Dartmouth Crossing declined to comment.
Pahole said that when wearing a mask in public buildings becomes mandatory on Friday, she's worried she won't be allowed to shop for supplies for her coffee and baked goods shop. She's already terrified of catching COVID due to her health conditions, so only goes for supplies once a week. Mostly her husband Iztok, who is a carpenter in HRM, does the heavy lifting.
Heather Fairbairn, spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Wellness, said in an email that businesses have the right to set policies for their operations.
“People should be aware that businesses have the right to refuse them entry or refuse to serve them if they don’t follow the rules,” Fairbairn wrote. “However, businesses also need to accommodate people with valid medical reasons for not wearing a mask.”
She said the department is confident the “vast majority” of Nova Scotians will understand the need to protect each other and those who are more vulnerable and wear a mask when they become mandatory in public buildings at the end of the week.
RELATED:
"condition" - Google News
July 29, 2020 at 05:06AM
https://ift.tt/2P3SunT
Woman with lung condition seeks apology after David's Bridal asked her to leave for not wearing a mask - SaltWire Network
"condition" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2W6ON50
https://ift.tt/2L1ho5r
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Woman with lung condition seeks apology after David's Bridal asked her to leave for not wearing a mask - SaltWire Network"
Post a Comment