Mask at work/exemption

[Candleropeheart]

Have been WFH since last march, they started to return us one day a week in June. Ive gone in 4/5 weeks and due to being exempt of the face coverings I wasnt wearing a mask and nothing said to me either.
Until last week when it was almost home time & boss pulled me on it. She did this in front of colleagues too and kept pushing with comments such as id offended someone, others are worried they are more at risk and youve not covered up for the bathroom trips etc.. i said my reasons again and felt very pressured and watched.. but still said no. She got up and and came back 5 or so minutes later with a box full of visors for just me to wear...

I am hurt, and annoyed at this behaviour. Surely she cant behave like this! & surely she can't force me when ive clearly stated why im not wearing one to her.

Ive hearing aids in both ears, nhs ones not private as my earing is too far gone. I used to wear masks at the very start but they get caught around them and ive lost/broken hearing aids before so now ive decided along with my GP that i am exempt. (A broken hearing aid that i cant fix could mean waiting 6 months on a new one! I cant hear without mine at all! & ive two children this was also explained to boss who clearly didnt care..

You clearly could wear a mask.

I am in healthcare and we have no exemptions - wearing a mask is required by everyone, all day, including colleagues with hearing aids.

Reasonable adjustment looks like giving access to a type of mask that suits. I would say offering a visor as an alternative is more than fair.

I don't really buy the argument about being singled out. Presumably you being the only one not wearing a mask also singles you out.

Op, while I think your boss is being unfair (and visors, imo, are pointless), there are extenders and things that you can get that might help. Or masks designed not to go around the ears.

Might be worth looking at.

YANBU. They're nothing more than a comfort blanket and a reminder that "something is going on". They have about the same effect on an airborne virus as goal net stopping a marble. They make it difficult to interpret emotion and unless worn and stored properly, are an absolute germ rag worn right over the place you don't want germs going.

Even if they do reduce transmission, of which I've seen absolutely no proof beyond emotional 'protect others' BS rhetoric, anyone statistically at risk has had the chance to be double jabbed with a remarkably effective vaccine, and this whole charade of sitting at a desk without masking up, then wearing one whilst marching swiftly thru a near empty office en route to the bog is completely absurd.

Take you vaccine, stay at home if you have symptoms, but the mask stuff is a massive charade.

I'm deaf and wear BTE hearing aids on both sides.

Stop moaning.

I honestly don't get why you can't wear a mask, plenty options with strings which avoid ear. Your choice, bit I can understand people's annoyance tbh

but I went kept my head down and did my work but its only now that ive offended someone else i should 'suck it up' too!! Fuking hell people are actually unbelievable.*

I actually avoided the canteen as more people would use it and I didn't want to offend someone..

You are not "offending" anyone by not wearing a mask, you are offending people by not being truthful about the reasons why you think you should be able to bypass the health and safety measures in place to reduce the risk of covid transmission and protect others.

For whatever reason, you are being awkward, and tbh look a bit of a fool when everyone knows you can wear one without ear loops. Is it because you just don't want to wear a mask, you think the wearing of masks does not reduce risk or do you want to WFH? If you admit the real reason you will get more appropriate responses.

Not being able to hear others when they are wearing masks is a common problem I suffer with too, but a separate issue to you wearing a mask and not the original topic of you thread.

They have about the same effect on an airborne virus as goal net stopping a marble

Only if you are wearing a rubbish mask. A decent mask does make a difference. As was seen in a Swiss hotel last year. During an outbreak at the hotel, the only staff members that contracted covid were the ones not wearing masks.

There's more scientific info here. One study showed a 79% reduction in transmission in households if everyone was wearing a mask prior to showing symptoms. www.pnas.org/content/118/4/e2014564118

They make extra bands that you can attach to the ends of the loops so that the loops don't go directly behind your ears.

I think you're being unreasonable in not trying to find something suitable.

For example, I work in a overheated lab every dang day and I sweat underneath the mask and my whole face turns red and I suppose I could say I just can't wear a mask, but I do it anyway because it's the right thing to do.

@Candleropeheart

Yeah its more the way she handled the situation tbf and whether she was right to do that and if she can force me to wear the visor in the office days im asking about? & not whether strangers think i am exempt or not..

Your poor GP. They can't give exemption notes. Please don't waste their time asking for one or encourage others to do so.

Just get one of the masks people have provided pictures of. I know plenty of people with hearing aids that wear masks, not one has tried to claim exemption.

I really feel for you OP.My dh wears hearing aids and masks do pull them out. He has persevered where I probably would be fed up by now.
Sounds like it was handled badly.
When I mentioned having asthma and panic disorder to my colleague s and my concern of wearing a mask the response was someone with a 60% lung capacity can wear one.!! I wasn't aware it was a competition.
I do wear mine.we don't have to wear them at work now though.