HUDSON, Fla. — A Tampa Bay business owner is making a cash offer to employees who receive a COVID-19 vaccination.
Beef ‘O’ Brady’s owner Chris Overbeck is giving his staff members a $100 bonus if they get the vaccine.
“When I offered my staff the $100 cash incentive I told them it’s not mandatory that you get the shot, but I want you to understand why I want you to want the shot,” said Overbeck.
Several servers at the Hudson restaurant say they are grateful for the gesture.
“He knew that it was hard times, obviously businesses are struggling right now, and he wanted to offer the help,” said Jax Alfarone.
Alfarone is a single mother who is eager to get that extra layer of protection.
“It’s mainly for my health and my daughter’s but also for people around me so I can continue to work," she said.
ABC Action News has learned it is legal for employers to require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccination in order to return to the workplace.
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, it would be “lawful for the employer to exclude the employee from the workplace.”
That doesn’t mean an employee who opts out of getting the shot would be fired, but rather could lead to an accommodation like working from home long-term.
“Generally employers can say that employees should be vaccinated,” said unemployment attorney Ryan Barack. “If you have a legitimate medical or religious issue, you have an obligation to convey that to your employer and should engage in an interactive dialogue to try and see what those issues are and see if they can be resolved.”
