A waitress in New York City says she was fired from a popular Brooklyn restaurant after choosing not to get the COVID-19 vaccine for fear it could hurt her chances of pregnancy.
Bonnie Jacobson, 34, told The Post that Red Hook Tavern management canned her Monday for failing to get an immediate shot.
“I thought it was shocking,” she said on 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 an anti-vaxxer and “fully” supports people who are being vaccinated, but said she wants to wait for more research into the possible effects of the coronavirus vaccine on fertility.
‘The way I see it, getting the vaccine is for me. It protects me. If I don’t understand it is my choice and I would only hurt myself, ”she said.
The available coronavirus vaccines have not been tested on pregnant women, but they have also not been shown to affect pregnancy and are generally considered safe.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say vaccination is “ a personal choice for people who are pregnant, ” and expectant mothers can talk to their doctors about whether it’s right for them.
New York restaurant staff joined the list of people who were eligible for the shot earlier this month.
Not long after, the management of the bustling Brooklyn eatery emailed employees to let them know they were eligible, later saying the vaccine would be “mandatory” for all employees.
The only exception to the policy would be, “If your own personal health or disability prevents you from obtaining this vaccination,” read Friday’s email, reviewed by The Post.
Jacobson – who started working at the restaurant in August after being fired from the women’s coworking space The Wing at the start of the pandemic – replied that she “ chose not to get the vaccine because there simply isn’t enough data or research are on this point about the effects on fertility. “
“Once there is more research to support that it does not affect fertility, I would reconsider my position,” she wrote.
But on Monday, after working 1 hour Sunday for Valentine’s Day, Jacobson found herself booted up about her choice.
The inn’s management wrote to her that while they respected her choice, it was necessary to take the photo and that “at this point your employment will be terminated.”
“We’re sorry you’re leaving,” the email said. “If you change your mind, don’t hesitate to let us know.”
Jacobson said she felt blind.
She noted that she had toiled to the restaurant during the pandemic and learned to adapt to the limitations of the coronavirus, such as working outside “ in the freezing cold. ”
“I sailed with them,” she said. “I expected to receive the same flexibility and compassion.”
While the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said in December that companies could require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, labor attorneys said they had never heard of a case like Jacobson’s, according to WNBC, which first reported on her dismissal.
“This particular topic is a very hot topic right now,” labor attorney Felicia Ennis told the agency, adding, “I’ve never heard of a company taking such an extreme step.”
The restaurant said on Wednesday it still requires employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19, but said it would change its policy for employees seeking an exemption.
“Once New York State allowed restaurant workers the COVID-19 vaccine, we thought it was the perfect opportunity to create a plan to protect our team and our guests,” owner Billy Durney said in a statement.
“No one has faced these challenges before and we made a decision that we thought would best protect everyone,” he said. “We now realize that we need to update our policies so that it is clear to our team how the process works and what we can do to support them. We will make these changes immediately. ”
Jacobson told The Post that she has no intention of taking legal action and does not want her job back.
“It’s a good restaurant, the food is excellent, the money is great [but] I think I want to take some time for myself, ”she said.
She and her husband, who got married in October 2019 and have been together for nine years, are “family planning,” and she wants to focus on that, Jacobson said.
Jacobson expressed some hesitation about her choice not to get vaccinated immediately, saying she would receive the injection in the future, “as soon as more data is available.”
“The way I see it, I may need to be better informed,” she said.