Andrew Cuomo says it's time the state examines whether to do away with the practice of allowing employers to pay tipped workers less than the minimum wage.
The Democrat announced the proposal as one of several measures on his 2018 agenda. He wants state labor officials to hold hearings on the so-called tipped wage, which is paid to restaurant servers and some other types of employees in service industries.
Cuomo notes that the wage is paid to a disproportionate number of women and minorities. He says he wants to ensure that employers aren't subjecting these workers to unfair wages or exploitative work environments.
In 2015, Cuomo pushed through legislation that will gradually raise the state's minimum wage to $15.
