Should the Law on Tipping 
Be Changed? 

Tipping is part of American life—we do it in restaurants, at bars, in taxis, after a manicure,
and when dinner arrives at our door.  Most of us assume that the tips are “extra” money that benefits workers.  So why are some famous restaurants like Craft and Dirt Candy replacing tipping with service charges?  Should the law that allows employers to pay a  “subminimum wage” to tipped workers be changed?  Do workers prefer a fluctuating, tip-based income or a fixed wage?  Does tipping really improve service?  And which workers should be allowed to participate in a “tip pool”- maître d’s, “back of the house” employees, or only servers? 

The NYU Center for Labor and Employment Law would like to invite you to attend Should the Law on Tipping Be Changed? on Wednesday, December 2 from 5:30-7:30 PM. A panel of experts, including Amanda Cohen (chef/owner of Dirt Candy), Rachel Bien (Outten & Golden), Paul Sonn (NELP), Jane Jacobs (Klein Zelman Rothermel Jacobs & Schess LLP), Jay Holland (New York State Restaurant Association), Aaron Halegua (NYU School of Law), and Mark Egerman (Cover), will examine some of the wage and tax laws concerning tipping, and debate the merits of these rules. This topic is particularly timely in light of recent attention being paid to the minimum wage, conditions in nail salons, the status of Uber drivers, and restaurants switching to service charges. Torrey L. Whitman (Center for Labor and Employment Law) will moderate the panel. 

This event has been approved for 2 credits of New York State CLE in the Areas of Professional Practice category, appropriate for both experienced and newly admitted attorneys. 

Access the materials here.