questions & answers

Question: I have not yet been fired but have been told that if I refuse to wear a face mask during this covid 19 thing I will will be fired. I have already been suspended. My employer has not posted or provided employees with any type of policy stating if you do not wear a mask here are the consequences. I called our Division VP and HR. They...prior to hanging up on me stated they are not required to provide us with a new policy. I was told that word of mouth is enough. Is this correct?

Answer: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor (https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus) and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (https://www.eeoc.gov/coronavirus) have relaxed some of the usual rules related to how employers may adopt and enforce workplace safety policies. As a general rule, if an employer is following federal, state, or local guidelines regarding the use of face masks, they may require an employee to wear one. You may wish to discuss your specific situation in detail with an attorney.