OLYMPIA, Wash. — Do you use the self-checkout at the grocery store? A new bill in Washington could change your shopping habits.
House Bill 1739 by Representative Mary Fosse (D-Everett) would create rules for when customers could use the automated checkout systems.
If passed:
· At least one manual checkout station would need to be operating at any time a self-service checkout is open
· Self-service checkouts would be for customers with 15 items or less
· Signage would be required near the self-service checkout indicating this limit
· Employees monitoring self-service checkout would be relieved of all other duties and required to monitor no more than two self-service checkout stations simultaneously
The regulations would apply to grocery stores over 15,000 thousand square feet in size, but not to any bulk goods stores with memberships such as Costco.
The Department of Labor and Industries would be responsible for investigating and enforcing violations and employee complaints.
An employer that operates a self-service checkout without meeting these conditions is subject to a civil penalty of $100 per day not to exceed an aggregate penalty of $10,000. The Attorney General’s Office may also institute an action for violation of these conditions, including for injunctive relief.
KIRO 7 spoke to grocery store employees who say the legislation will protect them.
“I often manage six to 12 machines alone,” said James Reed, a grocery worker, as he testified on the bill before lawmakers.
Reed said he’s been cussed out and at times, watched people hit machines.
“On a particularly hard day, a woman threw a steak at me because her item did not qualify for a BOGO (buy-one-get-one) deal,” he said.
Workers testifying in favor of the bill said they are often ill-equipped to handle the threat of retail theft.
“It’s terrifying to be alone on the front end while people are stealing things over and over,” said grocery worker Amy Daley Angell.
Several retail associations spoke out about the idea, arguing these policies could hurt independent grocers too.
Brandon Housekeeper, representing the Northwest Grocery Retail Association, said the legislation operated as a “prescriptive mandate.”
“Removing the flexibility that they (grocers) have to meet staffing demands, customer demands and the other variables that come with operating stores,” he said.
The proposed regulations have yet to be scheduled for a vote out of committee.
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