Press release from Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau:
With local and state mandates requiring face coverings in all public places, both indoors and out, there’s been an increase in the number of well-publicized reports of customers and guests reacting in a belligerent, hostile, or even violent manner after being asked to comply with mask rules.
How to minimize the chances of such an incident occurring in your workplace and what to do if an anti-mask guest disrupts your business is the subject of a free webinar on Wednesday, Sept. 2, at 10 a.m., hosted by Explore Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau. The virtual event, titled “5-Step Action Plan for How To Handle Anti-Mask Guests,” will be presented by labor and employment attorney Andria Lure Ryan.
The one-hour event is open to local businesses at no charge. Registration is required and capacity is limited. Register at:www.AshevilleCVB.com under “EVENTS” or https://bit.ly/3gzcidW.
Ryan is with the Atlanta office of Fisher & Phillips LLP, a corporate partner with the N.C. Restaurant & Lodging Association. She serves as the co-chair of the firm’s Hospitality Industry Practice Group and is a member of the firm’s COVID-19 Task Force. She represents numerous employers throughout the United States in various phases of labor and employment law.
Ryan spends much of her time counseling employers in day-to-day employment and labor decisions and educating employers about prevention and practical solutions to workplace problems. A significant part of her practice is training human resources professionals, managers and in-house counsel about best practices and risk avoidance strategies for how to avoid and respond to harassment, discrimination and retaliation claims.
Explore Asheville CVB carries out the strategic marketing and sales programs of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, a public authority with a public purpose that enhances the economic vitality of Buncombe County, benefiting local residents. From the start of the public health crisis, the organization has advocated strongly for measures to keep the community safe, including mask-wearing as mandated by the executive orders of Gov. Roy Cooper. Among Explore Asheville’s initiatives are the Asheville Cares Stay Safe Pledge, launched in May; a partnership with Buncombe County to place signage in downtown Asheville, Biltmore Village, and Black Mountain to remind visitors and residents of the face-covering mandate; and safety messaging incorporated throughout the CVB’s marketing and communication channels.
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