A fast-food chain says it will ban employees from wearing masks at locations in five states unless workers can produce a medical note saying they deserve an exemption.
In-N-Out Burger said its policy, effective Aug. 14, is designed to enhance customer service as society moves on from the COVID-19 emergency.
“We are introducing new mask guidelines that emphasize the importance of customer service and the ability to show our associates’ smiles and other facial features while considering the health and well-being of individuals,” a memo to employees said.
The policy applies to restaurants in Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, Texas and Utah.
In-N-Out has a separate policy for locations in California and Oregon, where it cannot ban masks. It says employees who opt to wear a face covering must use a company-provided N95 mask unless they provide a medical note on why this is not possible.
Similarly, employees who get permission to wear a face covering in the states where masks are now banned should expect to wear the company-provided N95 mask.
Employees who typically wear masks or protective gear because of their jobs are exempt from the no-mask policy, including “patty room associates,” lab technicians and painters.
Masks were a defining feature of the COVID-19 era that began in 2020. Health officials advised people to wear them when near others to avoid the exchange of virus-carrying droplets from the faces, though some questioned their effectiveness and impact on social interaction.
The masks are less common today, as people build a wall of immunity to the virus and move on.
President Biden declared an end to the public health emergency on the virus in May, though some people who are vulnerable to bad outcomes from the virus opt to wear them when going out.
“The general population’s use of masks obviously has diminished radically. The industry where we’re still using masks in a selective fashion is health care,” said William Schaffner, an infectious diseases specialist at Vanderbilt University.
He said it is common for health care workers to don masks when they interact with patients who are isolated in the facility because they have an infectious disease.
Surgeons, of course, wear masks in the operating room.
In the hospitality industry, In-N-Out said it tried to strike a balance with its new policy.
“Our goal is to continue to provide safe and customer-centric store and support environments that balance two things In-N-Out is known for — exceptional customer service and unmatched standards for health, safety and quality,” the fast-food chain said in its memo.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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