Olympia business among 11 fined for violating L&I mask rules

Terry’s Automotive Inc. in Olympia is among the 11 Washington businesses that state investigators have fined for allegedly failing to enforce portions of the state’s face mask mandate, according to the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).

Mail Express Business Center in Enumclaw got the largest fine, $7,500. Investigators determined customers and employees there were not wearing masks and no signs were posted about the mandate, officials said.

According to L&I, the owner told investigators she did not enforce masking because “she did not want to be an unpaid agent of the government,” KING-TV reported.

However, according to a news release from L&I, thousands of other businesses that were the subject of mask complaints from the public are following the governor’s order after numerous contacts and education about requirements from L&I.

Since mid-July, L&I has looked into mask complaints concerning more than 4,200 retailers, restaurants and other businesses in the state, L&I reports. In the vast majority of cases, the businesses that were violating the rules complied after L&I staff explained the requirements, or the initial complaints to the state were not substantiated, the news release said.

L&I can cite employers who refuse to follow masking and other requirements. The agency fined eight companies for violating the state public mask mandate and endangering their workers’ health. Three others were cited after public mask complaints led to L&I finding worker mask violations.

Terry’s Automotive was one of three businesses cited for worker mask violations. The business was fined $1,200 because workers were not wearing masks and were working within 6 feet of each other; workers also were not screened daily for COVID-19.

Since the pandemic began earlier this year, more than 93,000 people in Washington have tested positive for COVID-19 and 2,190 people have died, according to the Department of Health online dashboard.