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OSHA fines tax firm for prohibiting workers from wearing masks

Posted On: Apr. 14, 2021 12:56 PM CST

masks

A tax company was assessed more than $136,000 in penalties for prohibiting employees and customers from wearing masks, according to a statement Tuesday from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Liberty Tax Service in Lynn, Massachusetts, was cited for allegedly banning its workers and clients from wearing face coverings at its office, despite a statewide mask mandate. The location is a franchise of Virginia Beach, Virginia-based Franchise Group Inc.

OSHA also claimed that the tax office and franchise owner Ariana Murrell-Rosario willfully failed to develop and implement measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, required employees to work within six feet of each other and customers, failed to provide adequate ventilation and failed to implement controls such as physical barriers, pre-shift screening of workers or enhanced cleaning protocols.

The company has 15 business days to contest the citations.

More insurance and workers compensation news on the coronavirus crisis here.