A waitress in New York says she was fired from a popular Brooklyn restaurant after she chose not to get the COVID-19 vaccine, for fear it would harm her chances of getting pregnant.
Bonnie Jacobson, 34, told The Post that the management at Red Hook Tavern canned her on Monday because she immediately got the chance.
“It was shocking to me,” she said Wednesday. “I went through the phases: I was hurt, I was shocked – then I got angry.”
Jacobson, who has been married since October 2019, stressed that she is not an anti-waxxer and ‘fully supports people’ to be vaccinated, but said she wants to wait for more research on the possible effects of the coronavirus. vaccine on fertility.
‘As I see it, it’s up to me to get the vaccine. It protects me. “If I do not get it, it is my choice and I would only hurt myself,” she said.
The coronavirus vaccines available have not been tested on pregnant women, but it has also not been shown to affect pregnancy and is generally considered safe.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is a personal choice for pregnancies to vaccinate and that expectant mothers can talk to their doctors about whether it is suitable for them.
Restaurant staff in New York joined the list of people eligible for the survey earlier this month.
Not long after, management at the bustling Brooklyn eatery emailed staff members to let them know they were eligible, and later said the vaccine would be ‘mandatory’ for all employees.
The only exception to the policy is: “If your personal health or disability prohibits you from getting this vaccine,” read the Friday email, which is being reviewed by The Post.
Jacobson – who started working at the restaurant in August after being fired from the women’s co-working space, The Wing, at the start of the pandemic, replied that she ‘chose not to get the vaccine because there were only not enough data or research is available at this stage on its effects on fertility. ”
“Once there is more research to prove that it does not affect fertility, I will reconsider my position,” she wrote.
But Monday, after working a 13-hour shift for Valentine’s Day on Sunday, Jacobson learned she was starting over her choice.
The management of the tavern wrote to her, saying that although they respect her choice, it is necessary to get a chance, and that “at this stage your service will be terminated.”
“We are sad to see you go,” the email said. “If you change your mind, please let us know.”
Jacobson said she feels blinded.
She noted that she struggled through the pandemic for the restaurant and learned to adapt to coronavirus restrictions, such as working outside “in the freezing cold”.
“I crowded with them,” she said. “I expected the same flexibility and compassion.”
While the U.S. Employment Equity Commission said in December that businesses could require employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, lawyers said they had not heard of a case like Jacobson’s, according to WNBC, which first reported on her dismissal.
“This particular topic is a very popular topic at the moment,” labor lawyer Felicia Ennis told the station, adding, “I have never heard of a company taking the extreme step.”
The restaurant said on Wednesday that employees were still expected to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but said it would change its policy for employees seeking exemption.
“After the state allowed New York restaurant workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to put in place a plan to keep our team and guests safe,” said Billy Durney. said in a statement.
“No one has faced these challenges before and we have made a decision that we think would best protect us all,” he said. “We now realize that we need to update our policy, so that it is clear to our team how the process works and what we can do to support it. We will make these changes immediately. ”
Jacobson told The Post she has no plans to take legal action and does not want her job back.
‘This is a good restaurant, the food is excellent, the money is great [but] I think I want to take a moment for myself, ‘she said.
She and her husband, who were married in October 2019 and have been together for nine years, are busy with family planning and she wants to focus on that, Jacobson said.
Jacobson expressed some hesitation about her choice not to be vaccinated immediately, saying she would get the chance in the future, “if there is still data there.”
“As I see it, I may need to be better informed,” she said.