Building Owners and Operators Responsible for Ensuring Compliance
Effective tomorrow, July 16, 2020, the Milwaukee Cares Mask Ordinance will require Milwaukee residents age 3 and older to wear face coverings in indoor public places and outside whenever they are within 6 feet of other people who do not live in their households. The ordinance provides some exceptions, including for:
- children under the age of 3
- persons with certain health conditions or disabilities
- persons obtaining or rendering services such as dental services or medical treatments, where it is not feasible to wear face coverings
- persons whose religious beliefs prevent them from wearing face coverings
- persons present in government facilities closed to the public, institutions of higher education, and other public and private schools or childcare facilities that have a mitigation strategy approved by the Commissioner of Health
- circumstances where it is necessary to verify an individual’s identity
The Milwaukee Cares Mask ordinance is unique in that it holds building owners and operators responsible for ensuring compliance. Any building owner or operator who permits a person to violate the ordinance in their public building is subject to fines of $50-$500 and may face license revocation or closure by the Milwaukee Health Department, which is charged with enforcing the ordinance. The ordinance also specifies that a building owner/operator has the right to refuse entry or service to any person who fails to comply with the face covering mandate.
Dane County’s mask mandate requiring that all individuals 5 and older wear face coverings in every indoor space has been in effect since July 13, 2020. See our blogs on PHMDC Emergency Order #8 for specifics on that mandate.
The Lake Effect team will continue to monitor important updates such as these from counties across the state. Please keep watching for blogs and emails from us for important legal updates and HR best practices. Contact us at info@le-hrlaw.com or 1-844-333-5253.
