A 7376: Requires third-party food delivery services and third-party grocery delivery services to provide the ability to include a gratuity at the same point in the online order process when the underlying order is placed; provides that customers shall not be required to pay a gratuity; provides that third-party food delivery services and third-party grocery delivery services shall not reduce the compensation of any worker as a result of gratuities; establishes penalties for violations of such provisions.

  
  STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 7376 2025-2026 Regular Sessions  IN ASSEMBLY March 25, 2025 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. MITAYNES, FORREST, MAMDANI, SHRESTHA, GALLAGHER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Consumer Affairs and Protection AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to gratuities received by third-party food delivery workers The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 2 391-x to read as follows: 3 § 391-x. Third-party food delivery gratuity charge. 1. As used in this 4 section, the following terms shall have the following meanings: 5 (a) "Gratuity charge" means any payment made in the process of placing 6 an online order that is intended for direct transfer to the delivery 7 worker rather than to the third-party food delivery service. 8 (b) "Online order" means any order placed by a customer through or 9 with the assistance of a platform provided by a third-party food deliv- 10 ery service, including a telephone order. 11 (c) "Third-party food delivery service" means any website, mobile 12 application or other internet service that offers or arranges for the 13 sale of food and beverages prepared by, and the same-day delivery or 14 same-day pickup of food and beverages from, no fewer than twenty food 15 service establishments located in the state that are owned and operated 16 by different persons. 17 (d) "Delivery worker" means any individual hired to fulfill online 18 orders placed with a third-party food delivery service. 19 2. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contrary: 20 (a) All third-party food delivery services shall offer the option of 21 charging a gratuity charge at the same point in the online order process 22 when the underlying order is placed. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD07381-01-5 
 A. 7376 2 1 (b) No third-party food delivery service shall reduce the compen- 2 sation, including but not limited to, any tip or gratuity, paid to any 3 worker, as a result of compliance with the provisions of this section. 4 3. Whenever there shall be a violation of this section, an application 5 may be made by the attorney general in the name of the people of the 6 state of New York to a court or justice having jurisdiction to issue an 7 injunction to enjoin and restrain the continuance of such violation; and 8 if it shall appear to the satisfaction of the court or justice that the 9 defendant has, in fact, violated this section, an injunction may be 10 issued by such court or justice, enjoining and restraining any further 11 violation, without requiring proof that any person has, in fact, been 12 injured or damaged thereby. In any such proceeding, the court may make 13 allowances to the attorney general and direct restitution of an amount 14 not to exceed the amount of fees collected in violation of this section 15 by a third-party food delivery service, attorneys' fees, and such other 16 remedies as the court may deem appropriate. Whenever the court shall 17 determine that a violation of this section has occurred, the court may 18 impose a civil penalty of not more than one thousand dollars for each 19 violation. Each day a violation of this section is continued and each 20 food service establishment charged a fee in violation of this section 21 shall constitute a separate violation. In connection with any such 22 proposed application the attorney general is authorized to take proof 23 and make a determination of the relevant facts and to issue subpoenas in 24 accordance with the civil practice law and rules. 25 4. This section shall not annul, alter, impair or affect the laws, 26 ordinances, regulations or rules of local governments that have adopted 27 or amended local laws, ordinances, regulations or rules not inconsistent 28 with this section, including without limitation cities with a population 29 of one million or more, while such local laws, ordinances, regulations 30 or rules remain in effect. 31 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.