Oakland McDonald’s worker alleges attack by customer refusing to wear mask

A worker at a McDonald’s in Oakland has filed a complaint with Cal/OSHA alleging a customer at the drive-thru attacked her after she refused him service for not wearing a mask, as well as claiming prior incidents of worker abuse by customers and management’s lack of concern for worker security, according to CBS San Fransico.

The worker, 19-year-old Maria Resendiz, was working at the drive-thru window at the McDonald’s on the 6600 block of San Pablo Avenue on June 27 at around 3 p.m. when a customer pulled up to the window without a mask.

Resendiz said after she asked the customer to wear a mask as required by the county and the restaurant, the customer told her “I don’t need no Mexican b—- to tell me what to do,” according to the OSHA complaint filed this week.

Resendiz said after previous attacks on her from other customers – including having cups of bodily fluids thrown at her – she felt threatened when the man lurched out from his window with both arms, head and chest, and she then threw a cup of water at him.

According to the complaint, the man then parked his car, walked back to the drive-thru window, and began banging on the window, screaming at Resendiz that he would kill her.

Resendiz said in the complaint she tried to hold the window closed because the lock was broken, but the man was able to open the window, grab her by the arm, and repeatedly hit her.

After the man left, Resendiz called 911 after she said no one else at the restaurant called for her. She was taken by ambulance to Highland Hospital and treated for a hand injury and scratches to her neck, according to the complaint.

Resendiz claims the owner of that McDonald’s has not given the employees training on how to de-escalate conflicts with customers, and has dismissed her previous complaints about lack of security at the location, saying she and other co-workers have been abused and attacked while management did nothing to diffuse the encounters.

Michael Smith, the franchisee owner, told Business Insider that the safety and security of guests and employees are his top priority and that the business is working with Oakland police in their investigation.

“On Saturday, we learned of an altercation at our San Pablo Avenue restaurant,” Smith said in a statement to Business Insider. “The supervisor on duty called local law enforcement immediately to report the incident. Officers were welcomed into the restaurant to review security footage and are still investigating this matter.”