As you will see in the Issue of the Week section of this alert, the New York State AFL-CIO opposes current legislation regarding the tip allowance for employees in the restaurant industry subject to wage orders. At this time, there are several reasons for opposition to the proposed legislation. To start, it seems that irresponsible employers could benefit from this particular bill at the expense of responsible employers, thus putting good employees in a non-competitive situation. Last, the definition of a gratuity is not clearly stated.
Current practice allows employers to share in tips of their workers.
This is particularly prevalent in non-union establishments. This should not be allowed. Research, discussion and analysis needs to be done to implement an adequate minimum wage law and proper enforcement procedures. Frank Mauro of the Fiscal Policy Institute will give an overview of Governor Pataki s Budget Proposal. Lunch will be served.