Retailers will have to make employee restrooms available to customers with some conditions

Under a new law that goes into effect this Sunday, many Washington retailers will have to make their employee restrooms available to customers who have certain medical conditions when no public restroom is available.

Eligible conditions include inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, any condition requiring use of an ostomy device or or any permanent or temporary medical condition requiring immediate access to a restroom.

Customers must show they have an eligible condition either by showing a form signed by a healthcare provider or a card issued by an nonprofit group that represents people with these conditions.

Under the law, retailers must also make employee restrooms available to customers who do not have a form or card when:

Three or more employees of the retail establishment are working when the customer requests to use the restroom.

The retail establishment does not normally make a restroom available to the public.

The employee restroom is reasonably safe and is not located where providing access would create an obvious health or safety risk to the customer.

Customer access to the employee restroom does not pose a security risk to the business or its employees.

The new rules do not apply to filling stations, service stations, or restaurant sof eight hundred square feet or less that has an employee restroom located within the structure.

To learn more:

• Read the Frequently Asked Questions Web page prepared by the Washington State Department of Health.

Tags: Crohn's, Gastrointestinal, GI, IBD, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Irritable Bowel Disease, Ostomy, Restrooms, UC, Ulcerative Colitis

Category: Digestive System, Kidney & Urinary System