Those working in retail are our family members, friends and neighbors in both rural and urban communities. Unfortunately, many of these workers have recently endured verbal threats, harassment, and in some cases, physical violence for attempting to promote a safer environment for themselves and customers. More specifically, many have been subjected to these senseless attacks simply because they requested a customer wear a mask upon entry.

Promoting safe and responsible work environments for businesses and customers should not be a matter of politics. It is a matter of safety, decency and respect for all. Even though wearing a mask materially reduces the spread of Covid-19, some states have yet to mandate face coverings be worn. This is simply irresponsible and runs counter to basic principles of public well-being.

Without government leadership, a small, but meaningful, segment of customers will continue to disregard private-sector warnings, placing themselves and others in harm's way by shopping without a mask or face covering.

We thank those governors that have led on this issue, putting safety first and requiring individuals to wear a mask when shopping. Respectfully, we request all governors to prioritize the health and safety of our workers and the communities we serve by requiring patrons to wear a mask when visiting our stores. This simple requirement, along with the social distancing measures and sanitization protocols we have implemented in stores, is the best way to minimize risk and dramatically reduce the spread of Covid-19.

In mandating the use of masks in public settings, the role of enforcement should not fall upon our employees, team members and associates. Requiring retail employees to serve as de facto law enforcement could lead to an unsafe environment for our employees and customers. All retailers will do our part to clearly communicate such policies to our employees and the public, but it must be the role of government to properly enforce this important safety initiative, and it must be the responsibility of every individual to follow the law.

Most of us in retail require our employees to wear a mask when working. We do it because it's the right thing to do: keeping our colleagues, our customers and our communities safe. To our customers who do the same, we say thank you. To those who do not, we ask that you consider not just your own safety, but the well-being of our employees and your fellow customers when entering our stores. Finally, to the public officials in those states where face coverings are not currently required in a retail setting, please issue the appropriate order or pass the necessary legislation immediately. And use your platform to remind every citizen in your state to respect the front-line workers who are showing up to work every day to ensure our families are safe and secure with all they need.

As many have said before us, this is a time for us all to rally around a common cause. We are proud of the role retailers play in that effort bu

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