Can a business ask my date of birth to purchase cigarettes when I am well over 50?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can a business ask my date of birth to purchase cigarettes when I am well over 50?
My question above is what happened. The clerk stated she had to put my DOB in the computer in order to sell them to me. She did not want my ID just DOB. I wouldn’t of minded except for the 4 people behind me; it was none of their business. Isn’t there a civil or privacy law that stops this?
Asked on January 17, 2011 under Business Law, Illinois
Answers:
M.T.G., Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
This is obviously a policy of the store. It may not be the best policy but it is not against the law to ask for your date of birth as long a they are not using it in a discriminatory way, and it does not appear that they are. Yes, it may be embarrassing to some. In that case then maybe you should have offered to show them your license with your date of birth on it and explained that you preferred to advise them that way. Smetimes you have to take control of the situation and put your own spin on things in compliance with the law and the policies. Good luck to you.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.