Viruses Do Not Discriminate – Make Certain That You Don’t Either

Anytime that an infectious disease is spreading throughout society, there are unfortunately those that look to discriminate or stigmatize others that they may feel are somehow responsible for that disease. While the coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, that does not provide a basis for treating Chinese persons or persons of Asian descent differently.

Federal law enforcement is warning of an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans as the Coronavirus crisis continues to grow, according to a new FBI analysis.

“The FBI assesses hate crime incidents against Asian Americans likely will surge across the United States, due to the spread of coronavirus disease … endangering Asian American communities,” according to the intelligence report, which was compiled by the FBI’s Houston office and distributed to local law enforcement agencies across the country. “The FBI makes this assessment based on the assumption that a portion of the US public will associate COVID-19 with China and Asian American populations.”

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) has recently reminded its members of their obligations under the Fair Housing Act to not discriminate against any segment of the population. Although we as stagers do not have those same obligations, RESA believes that we should be following the same guidelines.

RESA would like to remind all its members of the Code of Ethics that all RESA members are bound to follow, specifically #18:

Shall not deny equal professional services or discriminate against any person for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

When the pandemic subsides and we all try and rebuild our lives we will most likely be faced with a changed business landscape. Remember, viruses do not discriminate – make certain that you don’t either.

 

What unique issues does coronavirus present to the home staging industry?

When an infectious disease, such as coronavirus, is associated with a specific population or nationality, fear and anxiety may lead to social stigma and potential discrimination. RESA Members must be mindful of their obligations under the RESA Code of Ethics and be sure not to discriminate against any particular segment of the population. While the coronavirus outbreak began in Wuhan, China, that does not provide a basis for treating Chinese persons or persons of Asian descent differently.

May I ask clients or others I interact with in my home staging business if they have traveled recently, or have any signs of COVID-19?

Yes, you may ask clients or others about their recent travel, particularly to areas identified as having an increased risk of coronavirus. To avoid potential code of ethics issues,  ask all clients the same screening questions based on current, factual information from public health authorities.

 

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