Masks have been at the center of a lot of debates these days. And while the greater part of society sees them as life-savers as an abundance of scientific studies have shown they’re critical in fighting the coronavirus, some sceptics are still not convinced.

Recently, a shop owner received a 1-star review from an infuriated customer who made it sound like it was the worst place on earth to shop. But the owner realized it was just the right thing to do and replied to the complaint by giving their side of the story.

“Writing a nasty review on every source you can find will not stop us from protecting what is important to us,” the owner stated in a mic-drop response. It soon became clear that the customer’s frustration came from the fact that they refused to wear a mask while in the store. But with the pandemic still scavenging around the globe, is wearing one really too much to ask?

The angry customer left the store a 1-star review for terrible customer service, but it soon turned out not everything was how it sounded

Image credits: Meru Bi (not the actual photo)

Image credits: ilikeyourchords

Because of the worldwide pandemic, many jurisdictions require individuals to wear face coverings in public spaces, including retail and food stores, and other businesses. But no business owner is ever safe from a customer who refuses to wear a mask, whether politely or aggressively.

So what should a business owner know in case they run into one? Well, first, one should know that The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects an individual’s right to free speech from infringement by the U.S. Government—not a private business. That means that customers and employees have no constitutional free speech rights in a private business or workplace.

But the owner penned this mic-drop response and it all became very clear why the customer was so unhappy

Image credits: ilikeyourchords

According to Jackson Lewis, a company that joins 950 attorneys throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico who address every aspect of the employer-employee relationship, “A business need not accommodate someone if doing so would impede the business’s ability to safely provide its goods and services.”

“In light of the CDC guidance, customers can be required to wear masks or other suitable face coverings (e.g., bandana, face shield, and the like) subject to applicable state and local ordinances mandating masks.” As a result, businesses indeed have a basis to not accommodate an unmasked customer as long as no-contact shopping alternatives are communicated to the customer where a disability is involved.

Image credits: Atoms (not the actual photo)

Encouraging in-store mask use before any incident happens is also one way to avoid a possible misunderstanding. Make sure to communicate your mask policy with very clear signage that includes both your business’s and your state’s face covering requirements. The less you leave for customers to decide upon themselves, the less questions you’ll have.

And this is what people had to comment on the incident

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