Advocates Call on New York State to Raise Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers
Advocates Call on New York State to Raise Minimum Wage for Tipped Workers
Advocates are calling on New York state to eliminate its two-tiered minimum wage for hundreds of thousands of tipped employees.
A new report says hospitality workers in New York state are twice as likely to live in poverty as workers that don't rely on tips.
The study was released today to coincide with a state Wage Board hearing in New York City. The board's deciding whether to raise the minimum wage for several hundred thousand tipped workers in New York.
Apurva Mehrotra with the advocacy group Community Service Society authored the report. He says minimum wages for hospitality workers in New York cap at $5.65, as opposed to $8.00 for non-tipped employees.
Mehrotra says the belief that tips more than make up for the wage difference is hardly true for most workers, particularly in New York City.
"Contrary to the argument that some will make that most tipped workers are young students working part-time to earn a little extra cash, in New York City, most tipped workers are older," he said. "They're the heads of households, they're trying to support families with children, and they're working full time."
Mehrotra says advocates want the state to eliminate its two-tiered minimum wage.
The Wage Board will hold several hearings this month before making recommendations to the governor, who will ultimately have the last word.
