#Walmart says health ambassadors up to task of enforcing mask rule

In a week that saw big chains like Kohl’s, CVS and Target announce that all shoppers must wear masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus, only Walmart said it is creating a dedicated enforcement team.

The Bentonville, Ark.-based behemoth said that it will install “health ambassadors” at each location to help implement the rule, which goes into effect on Monday. With so many Americans openly defiant of face-covering requirements, some fret that Walmart’s policy will run the risk of creating confrontations and financial liabilities for the retailer.

“I don’t think it’s going to be enough to have the health ambassadors,” says Vicky Kriete, a New Yorker who lived in Iowa and shopped at Walmart there. “I think they’ll need a security guard standing next to them in case people balk.”

Walmart says the health ambassadors won’t be mere amateurs pushed onto a hostile stage from the wings.

“Our Health Ambassadors are receiving special de-escalation training to help make the process as smooth as possible for customers,” Walmart spokeswoman Rebecca Thomason said in a statement to The Post. “They will work with customers who show up without a face covering to try and find a solution.”

The mask mandate also applies to Sam’s Club, the retail warehouse chain owned by Walmart.

Susan Overton, a teacher who frequently shops at Walmart for craft supplies and who recently relocated to Lewisville, Texas, believes smooth implementation of Walmart’s new COVID-19 rules will prove to be a matter of geography.

“Yesterday, we had 10,000 new coronavirus cases in Dallas County,” says Overton. “Masks are everywhere. I think the new Walmart rule is a great idea.”

Overton noted, however, that her father who lives in her native Meadville, Pa., maintains the coronavirus crisis is a hoax. “Until people see a lot cases where they are, they might not take it seriously,” she said.

As for Walmart’s possible financial liability, lawyer Linda Wong says that the reward merits any risk.

“We’re essentially in a state of emergency nationally and globally,” said Wong, a partner in the Princeton, NJ-based Wong Fleming who specializes in defending employers. “The First Amendment rights of individuals who think they shouldn’t have to wear masks are outweighed by the need for public safety measures and concerns.”

Wong cautioned, however that Walmart should take care when contending with customers who say they have medical conditions that preclude them from wearing masks.

“Since it may not be possible for all customers to wear masks, our Ambassadors are also trained on how to best handle exceptions to reduce friction,” Walmart’s Thomason said.

The fleet of health ambassadors at the more than 5,000 Walmart and Sam’s Clubs in the US will include new hires as well as existing employees trained for their changed roles.