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AT&T

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has forced many public spaces to temporarily close, but "essential" businesses can remain open even in US states that have issued closure orders. A leaked AT&T memo tells employees that it believes its retail locations are essential, simply the people working on those stores take expressed fear and outrage on the visitor's internal message lath.

As the pandemic has unfolded, AT&T closed 40 percent of its locations, only many employees have been assigned shifts at the remaining 60 percentage of stores that remain open. AT&T distributed a memo that claims it is providing "essential services," and it can, therefore, remain open up. AT&T even instructed employees to evidence the memo to any public wellness or law enforcement officials who attempt to enforce the shutdown.

AT&T points to services like device replacement and troubleshooting as essential services, but many of its retail employees remain unconvinced. Replacement phones can be shipped, and online back up can provide help with device malfunctions and connectivity issues. Meanwhile, AT&T has chosen to concentrate customers in a smaller number of stores.

AT&T has posted signs on the doors asking people to only enter if they are non feeling ill and need vital services. Nonetheless, these signs are not sufficiently big or articulate virtually the restrictions. Employees say they've been forced to interact with people who testify troubling symptoms, and AT&T has been deafened to their concerns.

AT&T's inadequate signage.

A number of leaked bulletin board posts from retail workers reveal the frightening reality of working in customer service right now. 1 poster says "i of the 16 customers today began cough in the store and her nose started to bleed." Another writes, "I just had a client come in to do a SIM card change she was coughing and keeping her altitude, when I asked for her payment she told me to stay away a trivial and disinfect when I'm washed with her equally she is currently experiencing body aches and a cough and was on her way to the hospital to go checked."

It'due south not fifty-fifty articulate if employees are allowed to have unpaid leave for fear of infection. "Are we able to stay habitation without getting pointed if nosotros choose to? Same are saying [sic] some are saying no. Is this in writing anywhere?… Can we accept unpaid time off or not? Asking for 225,000 friends, requite or take," wrote an AT&T employee.

AT&T has non released a statement on its decision to continue stores open. Information technology actually should take expected these documents to leak, though.

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