With no federal guidance, workers are left to enforce safety protocols for their employers
In the absence of any federal guidelines on how to protect workers from Covid-19, the onus is on companies—often, large, non-union corporations—to outline their own safety precautions. And while some cities and states have required that everyone wear masks, others have not, creating a clumsy, inconsistent, and loosely-knit framework of enforcement inside businesses. As Vox reports, that leaves safety in the hands of customers and the workers who are tasked with upholding store policies. With their only options being to make just a few dollars above base pay or take unpaid leave, some workers question the value of risking their own health to ensure that company protocols are followed by customers who have their own personal agendas.
