‘Is He Serious?’ Ice Cream Shop Owner In Hauppauge Accused Of Stealing Employees’ Tips

In a post on a community Facebook page Monday, July 1, the Long Island resident said her son quit his job at the Hauppauge business after the owner allegedly told him he “can’t figure out” how to separate tips that customers paid using a debit or credit card on his point-of-sale system.

“I am not one who tips for every little thing, but people were tipping these kids on their credit cards, which they really appreciated,” the woman said. “Here’s the big problem. The owner is not sharing those tips with the kids.”

She went on to claim that when she confronted the owner about the alleged wage theft, he told her that her son is “getting paid enough and he shouldn’t get the credit card tips, too.”

Text messages between the employee and the owner obtained by Daily Voice show the purported owner rebuffed the teen when he asked about the issue.

“When u get the system working will we get it?” the teen asks.

“Depends bro might be out of my budget i have to see first idk (I don’t know) if can I (sic) afford to pay that much,” the owner responded.

The owner went to on suggest that in order to pay employees tips, he may have to consider hiring people at $14 an hour "off the books."

“Is he serious?” the woman wrote on Facebook. “He is clearly taking advantage of these kids.”

She went on to suggest that those wishing to tip employees do so with cash.

“No one should treat hard working kids this way,” she said.

Daily Voice is not naming the business until the New York State Department of Labor confirms it is investigating the allegations. Calls and emails to the owner went unanswered Tuesday, July 2.

The post garnered hundreds of comments and reactions, with many noting that such a move is illegal under state law. Several people said such theft is why they only tip with cash, though others pointed out that cash can be confiscated as well.

“Sadly, the tipping issue is not only with credit cards. My son knew some friends that worked at a place that the owner took their cash tips also,” one woman wrote.

According to the state Department of Labor (DOL), employers are prohibited from “demanding or accepting, directly or indirectly, any tip left for an employee, or retaining any part of a charge purported to be a tip.”

The woman told Daily Voice that she plans to file a formal complaint with the DOL.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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