canada labor-law british-columbia
Is it legal for a store to lock the door with customers inside?
<p>In a retail store the manager has instructed employees to lock the door when the store has closed, even if customers are still inside. This is to prevent more customers from entering. Is locking the door with customers inside legal? To be clear it is an ordinary lock with the non key side being on the inside (i.e. the customers could let themselves out).</p>
<p>Who would handle such complaints?</p>

<p>The customers are able to leave, so there's no reason it could be a crime. Even if they weren't able to operate the lock themselves, they are presumably able to leave by asking a staff member. There is no way this could be remotely considered false imprisonment.</p>
<p>Depending on the layout and size of the store and presence/lack of other fire exits, this might violate fire safety regulations.</p>
