In a press release to BuzzFeed News, Hartman downplayed the seriousness of the virus and falsely asserted, in contradiction to credible well being specialists, that masks weren’t an efficient technique of stopping an infection. “Our discouragement of masks in the office is in support of the understanding that masks are ineffective in controlling the virus,” he mentioned, “and that social distancing, hand washing, and cleaning and disinfecting surfaces are the most effective ways to control the virus at this time.”
Still, Hartman claimed, “the company does not prohibit persons from wearing a mask,” regardless of workers saying they’ve confronted retaliation for attempting to take action.
This declare was made in a “clarification” of the corporate’s masks coverage Hartman mentioned was being distributed to workers. The doc, which once more falsely asserted masks had been ineffective, cited the pro-Trump, conspiracy-fueled newspaper the Epoch Times and the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, an ultra-conservative fringe group that’s anti-vaccination and anti-LGBTQ. It additionally cited a May piece from the New England Journal of Medicine to argue that mask-wearing exterior of healthcare amenities was ineffective. But the authors of that piece later wrote one other for a similar journal, complaining that individuals had been mischaracterizing their findings “as support for discrediting widespread masking,” and that “in truth, the intent of our article was to push for more masking, not less.”
In his assertion to BuzzFeed News, Hartman referred to as the short-term closing down of companies, which was completed to sluggish the unfold of the virus, “a mistake of the elected officials responding to the left-wing media hysteria designed to discredit President Trump.”
Hartman, a frequent conservative donor, has not been afraid to espouse his right-wing and devoutly non secular views within the office. In 2019, he took workers to a Houston Astros recreation after which handed out MAGA hats for them to put on there. After Chick-fil-A minimize funding to charities accused of being anti-LGBTQ in November, he referred to as for his staff to protest in opposition to the fast-food chain. In June, he forwarded to the entire firm an electronic mail from the right-wing group PragerU, which referred to as Black Lives Matter a “left-wing hate machine.” When an worker pushed again on the characterization, he referred to as her a Marxist.
On his LinkedIn, Hartman calls “working to glorify God in the workplace” one of many “core values” of his property administration firm. He is vehemently anti-abortion, workers mentioned, and at a companywide assembly final yr confirmed pictures of aborted fetuses in a PowerPoint presentation. He has additionally introduced in audio system to speak about how “Democrats are killing babies,” an worker mentioned.
“I felt like I was at a rally I didn’t want to be a part of,” the third worker mentioned.
According to a job description on their web site, the corporate has a “faith based corporate culture” and donates to “several non-profit organizations that are working to implement Christian values into the market place and in legislation.” Still, they declare to be an “equal opportunity employer” that doesn’t discriminate on the idea of faith, race, or a wide range of different identifiers.
But workers mentioned that’s not true in observe and that new hires are subjected to one-on-one telephone calls with Hartman throughout which he asks prying questions on their religion and the way usually they go to church.
“Anyone who’s not Christian doesn’t stick around very long,” the third worker claimed.
Hartman denied discriminating on the idea of faith or some other protected class, citing the corporate’s employment insurance policies. “While it is true we consider ourselves a Christian company, we don’t take any action (adverse or otherwise) against any applicant or employee for their religious views,” he mentioned.
“We apologize if any person has felt uncomfortable in their position here at Hartman,” he mentioned, whereas including that he had a proper to precise his political beliefs within the office.
Hartman has additionally been forwarding the corporate emails from Steven Hotze, a Texas doctor who has beforehand been criticized by colleagues for unscientific statements. Hotze appeared on Fox News in mid-March, minimizing the seriousness of the upcoming pandemic and telling viewers they need to “conduct your life normally.” According to a 2005 profile of him within the Houston Press, Hotze has made a number of weird medical claims, together with that contraception capsules make girls “less attractive to men” and males who lose their testicles have issue with math and studying maps. He has repeatedly espoused violently anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, evaluating homosexual folks to Nazis and saying the “homosexual movement” was being run by “Satanic cults,” in keeping with the Texas Observer.
In one May electronic mail, which Hartman forwarded companywide, Hotze referred to as the pandemic a “mass hysteria” and inspired his supporters to attend a digital rally opposing contact tracing. “The purpose of government is not to protect our health. The purpose of government is to protect our constitutional rights and liberties,” Hotze mentioned within the electronic mail.
On Aug. 2, Hartman despatched one other companywide electronic mail urging all workers to take the drug Budesonide to protect in opposition to the virus “[whether] you have symptoms or not.” Budesonide — a steroid that’s being pushed as a coronavirus remedy by a single Texas physician who can be a former Republican congressional candidate — isn’t really helpful by well being specialists and has acquired little testing.
“It’s getting to the point where the employees don’t feel safe there anymore,” the third Hartman Income REIT worker mentioned of their boss. “He’s not in a position to give medical advice.”
In early July, Texas made masks obligatory statewide when in public, however guidelines for companies are nonetheless being set by particular person counties. In Harris County, masks are solely required in companies that “[provide] goods or services directly to the public.”
“[Hartman Income REIT management] claim that they’re exempt from the mask mandate because we technically don’t serve the public, which is a bunch of crap,” the third worker mentioned. “We have outsiders that tour our buildings, we have outsiders that come in to deliver packages, to inquire about leasing.”
The solely time they must put on masks, the worker mentioned, is when a tenant requires it so as to enter their house.
“[Hartman] went as far as to hang posters in the elevator that say that masks are not required,” the worker mentioned.
It’s laborious to say what Hartman’s workers can do about their scenario, in keeping with Obernauer, the NYCOSH government director. “I think the big problem here is the issue of enforcement,” Obernauer mentioned. “I mean, who do workers call in a situation like this where they’re being told they can’t wear a mask?”
“I just don’t understand why the states aren’t actively saying, ‘This is where you go and this is who you contact,’” Obernauer mentioned. “Why isn’t there like a 311 number that workers can call?”
Some states, together with Massachusetts and New York, have launched hotlines or on-line criticism kinds for staff who discover coronavirus security violations of their office and want to report them anonymously. The Texas RioGrande Legal Aid nonprofit group has urged staff who consider their office is unsafe in the course of the pandemic to file a whistleblower criticism with OSHA.
Lawrence Gostin, a Georgetown University international well being regulation professional, advised BuzzFeed News he thinks there must be a “national standard for wearing masks,” and that they need to be required for workplaces in enclosed indoor areas.
“If employers don’t allow employees and/or customers to wear masks it places everyone in danger,” Gostin mentioned. “No one should have to risk a serious disease simply by working or shopping.”
For now, the employees at Hartman Income REIT are specializing in both therapeutic from the coronavirus or hoping to not be the following one contaminated.
“It’s frustrating for everyone, because this is not the time to go hunting for a job,” the primary worker mentioned. “It’s sad [when] your company isn’t making you feel safe, and is instead making people feel scared.”
“That’s his right to not wear a mask,” the worker mentioned. “But what about our rights to protect ourselves?”
