cubeman

Bit of a “discussion” in line that had a few people ask for supervisors regarding an agent that only took people with masks. Considering this guy was also processing people straight through MUCH quicker then the other lines it got people even more upset.

the people who went to him without a mask and said where is it required were sent to another line after arguing. One who took a photo of the sharpies “mask only” sign was told to not take any more photos.

While talking to my agent the supervisor came over and said he’d note the complaints but he’s allowed currently to do masks only. Personally it added 15ish minutes since the other agents seemed to be asking way more questions then the mask guy who was scanning, photo and on your way but it makes zero sense to allow a mask only lane(s)

it’d make more sense to have this guy as a secondary agent rather then desk agent if he is fearful.

seawolf

Sounds like the other side of the mask mandate coin.

cubeman

To me it added little difficulty to my day and is forgettable, but this would make sense if during COVID there was agents who were allowed to take un-masked passengers. I just don't like the idea of any standard where an agent can make a personal request on the people they are seeing. I actually would bet this agent has or is taking care of someone at home who is immunocompromised and isn't just being a pain but seriously concerned for their health, but when a lane is being under-used due to the mask requirement and we have centipede of just landed international planes and only a couple of other active agents it becomes an issue. If anything move him to global entry and throw a box of masks there.

WillCAD

I would agree, an employee's personal needs, opinions, or preferences should never drive agency policy, not even on a macro level like individual lines.

I do believe that the agency should always make reasonable accommodation for an employee's personal needs, opinions, or preferences, so if someone is indeed caring for an immunocompromised person at home, or simply prefers to limit their own personal risk, they should have the option of being assigned duties that do not put them at greater risk of disease exposure - not just Covid, but flu, SARS, monkeypox, or the common cold. However, such needs, opinions, or preferences should never drive the setup of a dedicated immigration checkpoint, or customs station, or TSA checkpoint that meets the employee's needs. The burden for accommodating the employee's needs is all on the agency, and changing a checkpoint configuration shifts the burden on the traveling public, at the expense of checkpoint efficiency, efficacy, and equality.

So, in plainer language, if a government employee cannot or will not work a position that brings them into close contact with unmasked members of the general public, they should be shifted to a position where they will not come into any close contact with the general public. No new workstations with special rules just for that employee should be created - that's an inefficient use of staffing and budget that causes disruption to an already stressful process.

chollie

Regarding special accommodations for one employee: I wonder if there is an exemption for CBP officers who have severe nut allergies. Do they still have to search bags?

This also makes me wonder about TSA. They routinely search flagged bags without the customer present. How does a TSO with a severe nut allergy approach opening a bag whose contents are completely unknown?

bitterproffit

I would have put on a mask so I could have gotten through the line quicker.

Loren Pechtel

So? As long as he's not standing idle because there are no masked people around I have no problem with this. It's amazing how many people get upset by the fact that some still take the threat seriously.

Section 107

Gloves.

cubeman

Except he was standing idle numerous times because it'd be quite silly to assume where every airline except maybe one requires a mask (Lufthansa?) that you wouldn't need to bring one. I just did a tour of 5 European countries and not once needed a mask. If I had to buy one for something I would have, but here I am in a line where an agent gets choose who he wants or a person who had a year old mask crumpled up at the bottom of their purse can use that like it really makes a difference.

Dubai Stu

I don’t wear a mask, but always keep one at the ready when traveling. This would be one example, but I’m already Global Entry (actually NEXUS( so it probably wouldn’t matter. A mask doesn’t bother me and it isn’t a political statement. It is more like a situation where if I saw a sign that people with baseball caps were served first. I would just put on the hat and not worry about it.

zkzkz

Every passenger he was able to handle was one less passenger in front of you to wait for so... this is kind of like the people who get upset when they find out a new policy will leave them better off but not by as much as somebody else and vote against it leaving themselves poorer.

I'm also puzzled why the discussion turned to airlines requiring masks. I was just in a US airport -- no masks were required but about 20-30% of people are wearing them because ... i dunno ... they don't want to get sick I guess. That should be more than enough to keep one line busy.

nk15

It should have been all lanes mask only...

The masked employee was faster because he did not have brain fog like the others...

zkzkz

I suspect it's the other way around. The mask-only queue was full of people like the poster above who came prepared and just wanted to get through efficiently without debates. People who went to an airport without a mask or were adamant about not wearing a mask even if it took longer were also not thinking ahead about boarding passes and liquids and instead were fumbling for their IDs and having arguments with supervisors.

Actually.... what does mean? What questions are there for TSA agents to ask? All they ask is for your ID and your boarding pass and do you have any liquids or electronics in your bags. There's no other "questions" they should be asking.

Joeyjo

The OP was talking about customs and not security.

i0wnj00

The employer is giving reasonable accommodation to an officer who will only see passengers who wear a mask. It is an reasonable accommodation because it doesn't materially impact the operations of the employer since they can still utilize that person for the duties they have been trained for nor does it unduly affect the mission of the employer (like creating a 6ft buffer between the officer and the passenger, expending excessive financial resources etc..). The fact that it only added roughly 15 minutes more to the line isn't enough to affect the operations of the employer and because the supervisor is aware of this, it means that the officer went up the chain of command, had this request documented properly and was approved of this request for a "mask only" lane.

A handwritten sign with a sharpie doesn't take excessive physical space, it doesn't change physical space, or nor do you need permits, or permission from the airport authority to make the change, it doesn't force an employer to think about cost when determining to make this accommodation.

It may be that this person might be suited for a different task but operational needs are always first and if they need this person at primary then they're going to put that person at primary and provide this person a "mask only" sign.