Employment trends expert Rob Wilson comments on why employers are requiring masks once again
As the Delta variant rages on, Facebook, Target, Home Depot, and McDonald’s all put masks back on the table for workers. Yet the decision to require masks once again has not been an easy one for employers.
“Right now, protests are happening across the country as employees push back against mask mandates as well as mandated COVID-19 vaccinations,” says Rob Wilson, President of Employco USA and human resources expert. “From California to North Carolina to New York, crowds of employees and concerned citizens have gathered to express their dismay at tightening COVID restrictions.”
But do employers have the right to require masks and vaccinations?
Today New York City’s “Ban the Box” Amendment officially went into effect. The amendment offers new protections for job applicants with a criminal history. And effective Dec. 31st, states across the country will be required to follow suit.
With the Delta variant complicating our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, many local officials are starting to reinstate their mask mandates. However, this poses a tricky issue for employers, particularly those who encouraged vaccines among their employees with their promise that vaccinated staff could drop their masks at work.
