Since the first quarter of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has sent many workers home — either furloughed or to work remotely. Now, as some states and counties begin to ease up on their lockdown orders and some employers decide it’s time for their workers to return, they will no doubt have a myriad of problems to address. Texas Lawyer spoke recently with Jackie Ford, a partner practicing employment law in the Houston office of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease.

Some employees don’t want to return because their employer is requiring everyone to wear a mask and the employee doesn’t want to, either standing on his/her “rights” or claiming a health vulnerability to mask-wearing. Where does the law stand on this and should the right to dissent against an employer’s health orders be sacrificed in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic?