While the City of Oxford Board of Aldermen voted to lift its mask mandate on March 2, many businesses around Oxford have continued enforcing masks indoors. Walmart is one store that has a corporate policy that differs from regional mandates, but some Walmarts do not enforce their policies in stores.
Walmart’s current national policy requires all customers to wear masks while in stores and all employees to wear masks in all stores, distribution and fulfillment centers. The policy has not been updated on their website since Feb. 18. Walmart also stated in a press release on the website in July that associates will be trained on how to deal with customers who are not required to wear a mask.
“We know it may not be possible for everyone to wear a face covering,” the article read. “Our associates will be trained on those exceptions to help reduce friction for the shopper and make the process as easy as possible for everyone.”
However, an employee at a local Walmart, who was granted anonymity to protect her employment, said this is not the case. She said since the lifting of the state and local mask mandates in March, new employees have not been trained on how to handle customers who are not wearing a mask.
“We have not been told to enforce it, but some greeters will try and enforce it if they feel strongly about the topic,” the employee said.
The employee is also a sophomore at the University of Mississippi, and said the only altercations she has seen over wearing masks have been among individual customers, but not between associates and customers.
“There was an older customer that saw a younger customer not wearing a mask, and she tried to get her to wear one because it could put her health, as well as others her age, at risk,” the employee said.
Another part of Walmart’s national policy is that all employees are required to answer health screening questions and get their temperatures checked before clocking into their shifts. The policy also describes the role of a health ambassador in all stores, who “(reminds) customers about safety standards as they enter the store,” including reminding customers to wear masks The employee did not mention whether Oxford’s Walmart has someone in this position.
“Our only way to really enforce our policy is to wear the mask ourselves,” the employee said.
Abby Sartin, a freshman from Anna, Illinois, is also employed at a Walmart in her hometown. She discussed the same employee and customer policies as the Oxford employee, but she said that masks were more important for employees to wear on shift.
“At my store, the employee requirement was enforced very well, as a mask became part of our uniform,” Sartin said.
However, Sartin believes the inconsistencies in the policy have caused problems to an extent. As a cashier, she says there have been lots of communication issues, as well as an overall difference of opinion when it comes to wearing masks in the first place.
“With living in a small conservative town, some customers wore their masks religiously while others refused to wear one altogether, so that would create tension among customers,” Sartin said.
