Workers at the Los Angeles branch of Riot Games are feeling uneasy after a decision by the company to lift its vaccine mandate. In addition to requiring that employees wear masks, the mandate forced workers who could not provide proof of vaccination to undergo testing. This comes in the wake of news that Riot would be calling its workers back into the office, marking a radical change of policy from the remote model which the company adopted in response to the pandemic.
The word comes from a report by Waypoint which details the frustration felt by employees at the company who consider themselves to be put at risk by the policy change despite the fact that lifting the vaccine mandate is in full compliance with public health orders.
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"In accordance with Los Angeles County health orders, Riot strongly encourages but does not require all individuals to wear a face covering while on Riot's property," a spokesperson at the company explained. "That said, we know that some Rioters will feel more comfortable wearing masks and we want our campus to be a place where people feel safe to take whatever precautions best fit their needs. We are encouraging Rioters to have open communication and to be empathetic and accommodating toward those colleagues who prefer masking up."
Workers on the other hand have been expressing their doubts about the new policy. Two current and one former employee came forward under condition of anonymity to criticize the decision, pointing out how the move places all of the responsibility on workers rather than management when it comes to stopping the spread of disease. “I'm angry over it,”
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