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A Look Into the Future? New York Fast Food Workers Can Have Employers Deduct Portion of Paycheck For Non-Profits/Non-Union Groups


Last year, New York City enacted a law that allows fast food workers in the city to have their employers deduct money from each paycheck and forward it to a non-profit/non-union group of that employee’s choosing.  One of the key ‘restrictions’ is a requirement that at least 500 employees must agree to contribute to one of these outside groups before an employer is required to act.  In the grand scheme of things this makes sense as this restriction lessens the burden on employers having to deduct money from paychecks and forward it to potentially hundreds of different organizations if only a few employees want to contribute to each.  Instead, the 500 employee minimum benchmark provides a tangible goal for employees and employers alike to focus on.

Recently, Fast Food Justice announced that nearly 1,200 fast food workers in the city had agreed to donate $13.50/month each to the group.  And what does Fast Food Justice plan to do with this newfound revenue stream?  Advocate for higher wages, among other matters that these fast food workers prioritize.  As others have noted, with a continued decline among unions and union membership over the past few years, many view this New York City law as a potential avenue for employees and pro-employee groups to regain some measure of power and control over their workplace conditions and workplace rights.

Unsurprisingly, employers in the city have contested this law and the Restaurant Law Center (the legal arm of the National Restaurant Association) has filed a lawsuit attempting to reverse the measure.  While that litigation is pending, this newly enacted provision remains in effect.

The question now turns to whether other cities and states will adopt a similar measure and provide employees the option to deduct portions of their paycheck for their chosen non-profit/non-union group.  Something tells me that other cities and states may be waiting on the sideline to see how things play out in court before they decide whether to enact a similar law.  It certainly does not hurt for other cities and states to allow the New York City law to play out in court first, determine if a litmus test would be required for similar legislation elsewhere, then tailor a new law based upon how the court rules on the present law.


For additional information:  https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/01/09/business/economy/fast-food-labor.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fbusiness&action=click&contentCollection=business&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront&_r=0&referer=

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