Hamilton restaurant closes due to staff concerns

[Badenoch]

Bylaw inspectors and Ministry of Labour inspectors, lost staff and legal advice to close. It's hilarious.

If these anti-vaxx goofs thought lockdown was hard on their businesses they are quickly finding out that advertising their illegal activities on Facebook will make it even harder.

And if this clown gets back up and running and is still not checking then the AGCO inspectors know where to go. LOL.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/nique-closes-temporarily-1.6194934

Nique closes temporarily after staff quit due to families' COVID-19 concerns, owner says
Bobby Hristova · CBC News · Posted: Oct 01, 2021 12:30 PM ET | Last Updated: October 1

Nique has closed temporarily after conversations with staff and legal counsel, according to the owner of the downtown Hamilton restaurant. (Bobby Hristova/CBC)

Some workers at Nique have left because their family members had concerns about the downtown Hamilton restaurant, according to its owner.

The restaurant is one of a handful in Hamilton that have said publicly they will not require staff to ask customers for proof of vaccination. The city says it had bylaw officers visit the restaurant last weekend. Nique is also the subject of an Ministry of Labour investigation.

Harrison Hennick, Nique's owner, said in an interview Thursday the three workers that have left the restaurant supported his stance on vaccine passports, but their family members did not.

"Their parents are in the high-risk population and wouldn't let them [stay]," he said.

In a closed Facebook group for businesses against the vaccine passport, Hennick wrote he needed to shut Nique for the next week or two because some workers quit.

"We are looking to hire all positions both back-of-house and front-of-house," he said in the post.

When asked about the post, Hennick confirmed he made it, but said the staff's departure isn't why he closed his doors temporarily. He pointed to the increased attention the restaurant has received. He also said he closed on the advice of his legal counsel.

"It was the best decision between myself and staff to close down, let everyone breathe, let this settle a bit," Hennick said.

He also needs to renovate the restaurant's bar, he added.

The Ministry of Labour confirmed to CBC Hamilton it didn't close Nique and that its investigation is ongoing.

Tina Mazzilli, a 33-year-old server at Nique, said she knew of at least two people who left because of concerns from family. She also said the restaurant closed to find new employees to replace them (two people are also on vacation, she said).

"It wasn't to do with our stance. It's because we went public, and people in their life found out and said, 'We don't feel safe to be around you two if you're going to stay at that restaurant,'" Mazzilli said about the workers who left.

"We're all shocked about how much attention we got."

Mazzilli said she and the rest of the staff at Nique all knew about the anti-vaccine passport stance before it was made public and they all supported it.

Keanin Loomis, president and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, said Thursday while most businesses and patrons are following the rules, he's "sick and tired" of businesses that aren't.

"You have every right, I guess, to not support the vaccine [passport] personally, but the rules are, 'You must enforce this,'" Loomis said.

"It's unfortunate that all the burden is coming down to businesses, we're certainly talking to the province and federal government to be able to find ways to subsidize businesses ... but this is all about avoiding another lockdown."

Loomis believes bylaw officers are taking the right approach by focusing on education before fines but said businesses that aren't following the rules need to get on board.

"I just don't see how it's good for business. It's not a good marketing tactic and there's evidence of that," Loomis said, pointing to the staff who left Nique.

"Every employer has a duty to ensure their employees and customers are safe ... these rules are designed to make people feel safe."