AUGUSTA - Gov. Janet Mills signed into law last week a bill sponsored by Rep. Charles Skold, D-Portland, that will benefit both restaurants and workers by bringing Maine into alignment with recent changes in federal regulations regarding tip pooling.
Maine law currently prohibits the distribution of tips to workers not classified as service employees, such as dishwashers and cooks. As amended, LD 903 will allow an employer who pays the full minimum wage to employees to include non-service workers in a tip pooling arrangement, as is consistent with federal law.
"Allowing restaurants to incorporate kitchen staff in a common tip pool will create better parity and fairness for a historically underserved part of the industry," said Skold. "This option will enable restaurants to foster teamwork in the workplace, encourage retention of valued staff or experiment with new food service business models."
"This is great news for both employers and their back-of-the-house employees," said Steven Quattrucci, owner of Monte's Fine Foods in Portland, after discussions with Skold about the bill. "This new law will benefit businesses like mine and many of my employees, and I'm grateful for the Legislature and Governor Mills for their efforts to implement this positive change."
The new law will go into effect 90 days after the current session of the Legislature adjourns.
Rep. Skold, a member of the Labor and Housing Committee, is serving his first term in the Maine House and represents District 119, which includes downtown Portland, Munjoy Hill and the Casco Bay Islands.