Washington L&I Cites 9 More Businesses For Mask Violations

TUMWATER, WA — The state Department of Labor & Industries says they've cited 9 more businesses across Washington for failing to uphold masking and social distancing requirements.

Despite investigating thousands of businesses for violating pandemic restrictions, L&I has only cited 20 since July. The department says that's because the goal is to inform employers of safety regulations and to help them improve and keep employees healthy, instead of punishing businesses through harsh enforcement.

"This is about the safety of workers and protecting our communities," said Anne Soiza, L&I's assistant director for the Division of Occupational Safety and Health. "We know how very hard this is for everyone, but it’s going to take all of us working together to drive the number of new cases down."

Businesses cited for masking violations the last two months include:

• Agate Store, Shelton. Fined $7,500 for failing to enforce employee or customer mask use and other unrelated safety violations. They have appealed the citation.
• My Good Market, Store #5082, Lacey. Fined $6,000 for not enforcing customer mask use and not taking employee temperatures.
• Hwy 99 Tire Center LLC, Vancouver. Fined $4,500 for failing to enforce employee or customer mask use and failing to develop a written safety program.
• Skagit Arms, Burlington. Fined $3,600 for not requiring customers or employees to wear masks and for violating social distancing rules.
• Hot Toddy's Coffee, Spokane. Fined $3,000 after employees were found not wearing masks or practicing social distancing.
• Hot Mama's Espresso, Walla Walla. Fined $2,400 for not enforcing customer mask requirements, and for lacking required signs about mask use. They have appealed the citation.
• Second Wind Espresso Inc. #2, Spokane. Fined $1,800 for employees not wearing masks or social distancing.
• The Ugly Duck Inc., Spokane. Fined $1,200 for employees not wearing masks.
• Red Carpet Car Wash, Sequim. Fined $900 for employees not wearing masks. The business has appealed the fine.

While fines remain rare, more could be on the way in the wake of Washington's new batch of pandemic restrictions. In October alone, L&I says they received more than 1,300 complaints about businesses not enforcing mask use, and that in the last week the number of new complaints has tripled.

---

Related: 20+ Washington Farms Have Been Cited For Coronavirus Violations

---

L&I's latest citation reports also contained bizarre trend: trampoline businesses that remained open, even though they were required to close shop under Safe Start regulations. L&I says three businesses, Altitude Trampoline Park in Marysville, Summit Trampoline Park in Bellingham and Altitude Spokane, all remained fully open when they were supposed to be shut down or limiting customers. Each of the three parks have been cited for $9,639, and all three have appealed their citations.