2015 -- H 5364

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LC000752

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2015

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS - MINIMUM WAGE - GRATUITIES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Regunberg, Bennett, O'Brien, McNamara, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: February 11, 2015

     Referred To: House Labor

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 28-12-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 28-12 entitled "Minimum

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Wages" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     28-12-5. Employees receiving gratuities -- Incentive-based wages -- Certain

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employees of nonprofit entities. -- Employees receiving gratuities. -- (a) Every employer shall

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pay to each of his or her employees who, are engaged in any work or employment in which

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gratuities have customarily and usually constituted a part of his or her weekly income, the rate as

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provided by §§ 28-12-3 and 28-12-3.1.

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      (b) Allowance for gratuities as part of the hourly wage rate for restaurants, hotels, and

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other industries except taxicabs and limited public motor vehicles shall be an amount equal to the

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applicable minimum rates as provided by §§ 28-12-3 and 28-12-3.1 less two dollars and eighty-

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nine cents ($2.89) per hour. "Gratuities" means voluntary monetary compensation received

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directly or indirectly by the employee for services rendered.

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      (c) Each employer desiring to deduct for gratuities as part of the minimum rates as

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provided in §§ 28-12-3 and 28-12-3.1 wages paid to an employee shall provide substantial

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evidence that the amount shall be set out in the formula in subsection (b) of this section; however,

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the cash wage shall not be less than two dollars and eighty-nine cents ($2.89) per hour.; provided,

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however, that:

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     (1) Commencing January 1, 2016, the cash wage shall not be less than four dollars and

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fifty cents ($4.50) per hour;

 

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     (2) Commencing January 1, 2017, the cash wage shall not be less than six dollars ($6.00)

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per hour;

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     (3) Commencing January 1, 2018, the cash wage shall not be less than seven dollars and

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fifty cents ($7.50) per hour;

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     (4) Commencing January 1, 2019, the cash wage shall not be less than nine dollars

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($9.00) per hour; and

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     (5) Commencing January 1, 2020, the cash wage shall not be less than the minimum

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hourly wage provided in § 28-12-3, and gratuities received by employees shall be in addition to,

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and not a component of, the minimum hourly wage provided in § 28-12-3.

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     (d) The director of labor and training shall notify employers concerning what type of

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proof shall be accepted as substantial evidence for the purpose of this subsection § 28-12-5(c).

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Employees involved shall be entitled to a hearing on the question of the amount of deduction if

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they so desire.

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      (d) In cases where wages are figured by the employer on an incentive basis in such a

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manner that an employee of reasonable average ability earns at least the minimum wage

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established by §§ 28-12-3 and 28-12-3.1, it shall be taken that the employer has complied with

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this statute. It shall be of no concern to the director of labor and training how the employer arrives

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at its wage scale so long as it is not unreasonable in its demands on the employee.

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      (e) Where, in the case of the employment of a full-time student who has not attained his

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or her nineteenth (19th) birthday engaged in the activities of a nonprofit association or

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corporation, whose aims and objectives are religious, educational, librarial, or community service

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in nature, the employer-employee relationship does exist, the employer shall pay to each such

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employee wages at a rate of not less than ninety percent (90%) of the minimum wage as specified

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in § 28-12-3. In case of any conflict between provisions of this section and those of § 28-12-3.1,

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the provisions of § 28-12-3.1 shall govern.

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     (e) Any employer who pays a minimum hourly wage sufficient to meet or exceed the

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requirements of this section is not required to alter their wages.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS - MINIMUM WAGE - GRATUITIES

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     This act would incrementally raise the two dollar eighty-nine cents ($2.89) per hour

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subminimum wage for tipped workers between the years 2016 and 2020. Starting in 2020, the

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minimum hourly wage for tipped workers would be equal to the state's regular minimum wage.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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