CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – While many workplaces do not require their employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, some South Carolina companies and national retailers are offering incentives to be vaccinated.
Hospitality workers meet the requirements for Phase 1B vaccination in South Carolina, which began on Monday.
Queen Street Hospitality groups are offering $ 100 to their employees at their three restaurants in the Charleston area. They include 82 Queen, Florence’s Lowcountry Kitchen and Jalisco Taqueria & Tequila.
They say their goal is to keep their employees and guests safe and to help make the community feel comfortable.
Queen Street Hospitality Group CEO Jonathan Kish says they are also allowing scheduling flexibility so that employees have the opportunity to get vaccinated.
“The coronavirus has been decimating the restaurant industry for the past year and there is a lot of fear out there about the coronavirus,” said Kish. “We want our team to feel available and encouraged to receive the vaccine, if they want.”
Kish said that on Monday afternoon, two employers were able to make appointments and get the vaccine.
“We are taking safety precautions very seriously and we do this all the time during the coronavirus, so we want our customers to know that we are doing everything we can for our team first and for them, too,” Kish said.
Queen Street Hospitality Group employee Trista Hoffman coordinates special events. She says that while she is nervous about the vaccine, she wants to protect herself and others.
“As I work in all of our restaurants, I feel that I need to obtain it to ensure the health and safety of all our employees and guests is maintained,” said Hoffman.
Although things have not returned to normal for restaurants and the event industry, business is starting to improve for some.
“I’m very excited because I do all of our special events, so I saw a huge increase in people calling to schedule parties and reschedule their weddings,” said Hoffman. “So, I already saw how this vaccine changed the world because people are ready to receive it, ready to make sure they can be in a safe environment.”
The owner of the Eggs up Grill locations in Ladson, Knightsville and Cane Bay is also offering incentives for employees to be vaccinated. Owner Marc Cotone says he is providing $ 50 to all employees who are vaccinated as compensation for their efforts to make their workplace and community as safe as possible.
According to AARP, other employers offering incentives include Aldi, Amtrak, Dollar General, InstaCart, Lidl, Walmart, Trader Joes and corporate-owned McDonalds locations.
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