Epidemic Laboratory
Controller Noon Job, Boot: Your skilled dude leads a job marking this deed. If successful, this deed gains +1 control point and +1 production permanently.
To run this job, does the “Boot” cost above refer to the deed, the leader, both, or either?
…
Does this similarly extend to all other deeds, goods, legends, and spells that have Job Actions?
We have an answer! From the rulebook:
First, choose one of your unbooted dudes to be the leader of the job. If the ability that started the job came from text on a dude, goods, or spell card, that dude (or the dude the card is attached to) must be selected as the job’s leader. If the job was started by an ability on a deed, your outfit, your legend, or an action card, the controller can choose any eligible dude to lead the job. If a job requires booting as a part of the cost (e.g. Kidnappin’ says, “Noon Job, Boot:”), the leader is the dude who boots to pay that cost.
Therefore the leader, not the deed, will boot.
For the exception, see Desolation Row, which specifies the card, not the leader.