A New York City waitress says she was fired from a popular Brooklyn restaurant after choosing not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine for fear it could harm her chances of getting pregnant.
Bonnie Jacobson, 34, told The Post that Red Hook Tavern management wrapped her up Monday because she was prevented from receiving the shot immediately.
“It was shocking to me,” he said Wednesday. “I went through the stages: I’m hurt, I’m in shock, then I got angry.”
Jacobson, who has been married since October 2019, stressed that she is not anti-vaxxer and “supports” the inoculation of people, but said she wants to wait for more research on the possible effects of the vaccine against coronavirus on fertility.
“The way I see it is to get the vaccine for me. It protects me. If I don’t get it, it’s my choice and it would only hurt me, “he said.
Available coronavirus vaccines have not been tested in pregnant women, but have also not been shown to affect pregnancy and are generally considered safe.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says vaccination is “a personal choice for pregnant women” and that expectant mothers can talk to their doctors about whether it’s right for them.
New York restaurant staff joined the list of people eligible for the takeover earlier this month.
Shortly afterwards, the management of the bustling Brooklyn restaurant emailed employees to let them know they were eligible, and later said the vaccine would be “mandatory” for all employees.
The only exception to the policy would be, “If your own health or personal disability prohibits you from getting this vaccine,” I read Friday’s email, reviewed by The Post.
Jacobson, who began working at the restaurant in August after dropping her off from the women’s workspace The Wing at the start of the pandemic, responded that she was “choosing not to get the vaccine because there isn’t enough data nor research at this time on its effects on fertility “.
“Once there is further research confirming that it does not affect fertility, I would reconsider my position,” she wrote.
But on Monday, after working a 13-hour shift on Sunday for Valentine’s Day, Jacobson learned she was being ripped off by her choice.
The management of the tavern wrote to him telling him that, although they respected his choice, it was necessary to obtain the shot and that “at this time his work will be finished.”
“We’re sad to see you go,” the email said. “If you change your mind, feel free to let us know.”
Jacobson said she felt blind.
He noted that he had worked for the restaurant through the pandemic and learned to adapt to coronavirus restrictions, such as working outside “with the freezing cold”.
“I’ve been making troops with them,” he said. “I hoped the same flexibility and compassion would satisfy me.”
Although in December the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said companies could require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, employment lawyers said they had not. heard about a case like Jacobson’s earlier, according to WNBC, which first reported his dismissal.
“This particular issue is a very hot topic at the moment,” employment lawyer Felicia Ennis told the station, adding, “I haven’t heard of a company taking this extreme step.”
The restaurant said Wednesday it still required workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but said it would change its policy for employees requesting an exemption.
“Once New York State allowed restaurant workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we thought this was the perfect opportunity to establish a plan to keep our team and our guests safe,” he said. said owner Billy Durney in a statement.
“No one has faced these challenges before and we made a decision that we believe would best protect everyone,” he said. “We now realize that we need to update our policy so that our team is clear on how the process works and what we can do to support them. We are making these changes immediately.”
Jacobson told The Post that he has no plans to take legal action and does not want to return to work.
“It’s a good restaurant, the food is excellent, the money is fantastic [but] I think I want to take a minute, ”he said.
She and her husband, who got married in October 2019 and have been together for nine years, are doing “family planning” and want to focus on it, Jacobson said.
Jacobson expressed some hesitation about his choice not to be vaccinated immediately and said he would get the shot in the future, “once more data is available.”
“As I see it, maybe I need to be better informed,” he said.