Face Covering Discrimination in Businesses

Executive Office (Northern Ireland) did not have the information requested.

Dear Executive Office (Northern Ireland),

Can you please provide evidence that shows:

(i) The Executive Office has communicated with local businesses and business leaders, their responsibilities in relation to “Goods, facilities and services” as defined by the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, in order to ensure disability discrimination in relation to the wearing of face coverings is not occurring via mediums such as (but not limited to) point-of-sale messaging, posters at entrances - "No mask, No entry / No service", staff ignorance, social media posts, job advertising, tannoy announcements, in-store advertising. - where "reasonable Excuses" OR Exemptions are 𝐧𝐨𝐭 included in the messaging.

(ii) "Reasonable Excuse" awareness - communications with local businesses and business leaders that describes responsibilities in relation to the “Reasonable Excuse” provision within legislation that protects against disability discrimination - especially the need to ask for proof of exemption OR compelling customers and/or staff to label themselves exempt - recognising that within guidance and legislation there is 𝐧𝐨 such requirement:

"There is no need to get a letter from a doctor or the government to show that you do not need to wear a face covering." - https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/cor...

(iii) Communication with local businesses and business leaders that requires businesses to treat exemption messaging with equal importance to face covering wearing messaging, to ensure disability discrimination is not occurring.

(iiii) Communication from Northern Irelands Government bodies (not limited to - Department of Health, Public Health Agency, Equality Commission) that reminds the Executive Office of its responsibilities to communicate messaging that ensures equality for all members of society.

Yours faithfully,

Catherine Edgar

Dear Executive Office (Northern Ireland),

An important reminder for your considerations of the above:

https://www.executiveoffice-ni.gov.uk/si...

Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998

1.1 Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 (the Act) requires the Executive Office (TEO) to comply with two statutory duties:

Section 75 (1) In carrying out our functions relating to Northern Ireland we are required to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity between

- persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation, - men and women generally,
- 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁,
- persons with dependants and persons without.

Yours faithfully,

Catherine Edgar

Catherine Edgar

Dear Executive Office (Northern Ireland),

Please can the Executive Office acknowledge my request?

Yours faithfully,

Catherine Edgar

TEO Covid 19, Executive Office (Northern Ireland)

1 Attachment

Dear Catherine

Please see attached letter to acknowledge receipt of your email below.

Regards

Noreen Hughes
The Executive Office
Covid Recovery Team

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Catherine Edgar

Dear TEO Covid 19,

Thank you for the acknowledgement.

Kind regards,

Catherine Edgar

Catherine Edgar

Dear TEO Covid 19,

I acknowledge the delay, thank you for the update.

Yours sincerely,

Catherine Edgar

TEO Covid Recovery, Executive Office (Northern Ireland)

1 Attachment

Dear Catherine

Please see attached correspondence relating to your FOI request.

Kind Regards
Noreen Hughes
The Executive Office
Covid Recovery Team

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Catherine Edgar

Dear Noreen Hughes,

Thank you for your response and the further information you provided, very much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Catherine Edgar