Coalition Opposes State Effort on Tipped Wages

March 19th, 2018

Last week, a coalition of business owners and employees launched a web site to oppose an end to the tipped wage credit in New York. The effort comes as the state Department of Labor (DOL) is holding hearings that are reviewing the wage and could potentially eliminate it.

Gov. Cuomo announced in December that he plans to direct the state Commissioner of Labor to hold public hearings to examine industries and evaluate the possibility of ending minimum wage tip credits in New York State.

The current minimum wage for restaurant workers is between $7.50 and $8.65, depending on the area of the state, and tips are meant to bring them to the minimum wage of $10.40 or $13. The Governor’s proposal would not eliminate tipping, only the subminimum wage.

The concern is that an increase in the state’s minimum wage for these employees could end up reducing their tips, and possibly their work hours as well. That’s a step backward, not forward.

The DOL’s hearings first hearings on the issue are scheduled for April 20 on Long Island; April 25 in Watertown; April 30 in Syracuse and May 8 in Buffalo.