The state House recently approved a bill that would allow small businesses to serve their customers while complying with public health officials’ recommendations for social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic.
The One Staffer/One Shopper bill stipulates that a retail business staffed by one employee could be to open for business as long as only one customer is allowed into the store at a time.
In response to the pandemic, Gov. Tom Wolf recently closed all businesses he deemed nonlife sustaining. The bill would prevent Wolf from closing retail stores complying with the one-staffer, one-shopper rule.
“My One Staffer/One Shopper bill would help enhance the safety of customers and workers,” Rep. Brad Roae (R-Crawford/Erie), who introduced the bill, said. “Pennsylvanians could shop at small stores with one worker and no other customers, rather than going to large grocery chains or big box stores with dozens of workers and hundreds of customers.”
This week, Wolf allowed state liquor stores to begin offering curbside pickup service. The bill also would allow small retailers to offer curbside pickup service for customers.
Roae said it’s an issue of fairness and access for customers to allow small businesses to offer curbside pickup.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.