After suffering a backlash from leftists for Starbucks’ efforts to fight the unionization of its workers, the Seattle-based coffee conglomerate is looking to reestablish its woke credentials and ingratiate itself to the Biden administration.
Starbucks announced this week that all employees of its U.S. workforce must either be fully vaccinated by Feb. 9 or face weekly COVID testing, the cost of which will be paid for by employees, reported the Washington Times.
The announcement comes in the run-up to the Supreme Court’s schedule to hear arguments on Jan. 7 regarding the legality of the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate that requires employers with 100 or more employees to ensure each of their workers is fully vaccinated or tests for COVID-19 on a weekly basis.
The initial launch deadline for the Biden mandate was next week, but that was before it ran into a wall of opposition from employers and employees, who argued the vax mandate would hurt businesses, increase consumer costs, and erode civil liberties. The mandate was twice put on hold by court injunction, before an appeals court overturned those decisions and a final ruling headed to the Supreme Court.
Faced with growing opposition to the mandate, Biden needs all the PR help he can get and Starbucks readily answered the call.
“I recognize that partners have a wide spectrum of views on vaccinations, much like the rest of the country,” Starbucks Chief Operating Officer John Culver said in a letter sent to employees in late December.
“My responsibility, and that of every leader,” Culver added, “is to do whatever we can to help keep you safe and create the safest work environment possible.”
Or at least play kabuki theatre to that end. Starbucks’ decision to fast-track its own vax mandate was made even as health officials are backpedaling on the efficacy of vaccines to stop the spread of the Omicron variant.
If a Starbucks employee chooses to test weekly instead of getting jabbed, they will not only have to pay for it themselves, but also bring along someone who can observe the testing procedure.
Starbucks will consider exemptions for religious or medical reasons, but must test weekly to work in a store, reported the Associated Press.
Employees who test positive will be able to use paid time to self-isolate. Starbucks said it is currently offering employees two instances of paid isolation time, both up to five days each.
