3 Cicero Walgreens Ignore Face-Covering Order, Face $6K In Fines

CICERO, IL – Legal counsel representing three Walgreens stores locations is set to appear in Cicero’s administration court this week as the retail locations face $6,000 in fines after being served with eight violations for failure to follow an executive order demanding that retail employees and customers wear face-coverings at all times.

Cicero Town President Larry Dominick issued the executive order in April after the coronavirus pandemic began in mid-March. Since then, town officials have issued eight violations to the three Walgreens locations in Cicero for ignoring the order.

The retail chain has locations at 4800 W. Cermak Rd., 5840 W. 35th St. and 5932 W. Cermak in Cicero. According to town spokesperson Ray Hanania, each of the violations carries a $750 fine and said that the store’s management is up for review in front of the town’s administrative court at 2 p.m. Wednesday.

The executive order, which was issued by Dominick effect April 15, states that retailer managers must, at their own expense, provide face-coverings for all employees working in the establishment. Retailers were also told that they must deny entry to any customer that attempts to enter the store without wearing a mask or face-covering.

Hanania wrote in a news release on Monday that the town has attempted to work with Walgreen’s and has offered to reduce fines. Rather than working with own officials, the retailer’s management hired a law firm to fight the order and will appear at the hearing on Wednesday on behalf of the three stories.

Attempts to reach the legal representatives for Walgreens seeking comment were not immediately successful on Monday.

“It’s a basic health and safety issue for their customers but Walgreens refuses to adhere to the executive order. We feel they are putting their customers and employees at risk to the coronavirus,” Hanania wrote in the email.

This article originally appeared on the Chicago Patch