SEATTLE — President Biden's new mandate requiring employers to make sure their employees are vaccinated is being met with concern, even by some of its supporters.
The mandate instructs employers with more than 100 workers to require employees to get vaccinated or test weekly for COVID-19.
Ivar's seafood restaurants have incentivized getting the COVID-19 vaccine for their employees, offering workers $50 and paid time off to get the shot. Still, 20% of their 1,000 person workforce hasn't done so.
"We know that we're not having success with everything else that's happening, so if this will help us get rid of the virus we support that idea," said Ivar's President Bob Donegan.
Donegan is in favor of the president's mandatory employee vaccination plan, but worries it could also impact hiring -- especially in the restaurant industry still struggling to survive.
"If we took everybody on the state unemployment rolls right now and gave them jobs in hospitality, we'd only fill about one-third of the open jobs," said Donegan. "Hospitality badly needs employees. If the vaccine mandate is another obstacle to hiring people that makes it even tougher to fill those spots."
With just over half of the U.S. population fully vaccinated, the Biden administration is now pursuing vaccines as a workplace safety issue.
Under the president's plan, workers will be forced to provide proof of vaccination to their employers in order to keep their jobs, unless there is a legitimate medical or religious exemption.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will then confirm those records.
Employers who are found not following the order face fines of $14,000 per violation.
"They're pushing their agenda by making it expensive for the employer, rather than making the case to the person because that hasn't worked well, so far," said Seattle employment attorney Aaron Rocke.
Rocke also asks workers to keep in mind, anyone who is dismissed from their job for refusing to get the vaccine likely won't be able to file for unemployment.
"In most cases, the Employment Security Department will take the position that if you quit a job so you don't have to get a vaccination, that's a voluntary quit, and you won't get unemployment benefits."
While much of the vaccination focus will be on major employers like Boeing, Walmart and Amazon, 90% of the jobs in America are provided by small businesses with fewer than 100 workers.
Bob Donegan believes President Biden should expand the mandate to all employers.
"Do people with fewer than 100 employers not get coronavirus?" Donegan asked. "If it applies to us it should apply to everyone. If we wanna kill this thing everyone should be involved in killing it."