Press Releases
09/30/2022
Attorney General Tong Joins Coalition to Support Fast-Food Restaurant Workers
Coalition
Pushes to Protect New York City Law Requiring Just Cause to Fire Workers at
Fast-Food Restaurants
(Hartford, CT) - Attorney General William Tong joined a nationwide
coalition of 12 attorneys general, led by New York Attorney General Letitia
James, in filing an amicus brief to defend a New York City ordinance that
protects fast food employees’ jobs.
The 2021 law requires
fast-food chain restaurant employers in New York City to provide a valid
reason—such as unsatisfactory performance, misconduct, or a legitimate economic
concern—before firing or reducing the hours of an employee. The coalition brief
argues that the law does not violate the National Labor Relations Act or the
Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
“The fast-food industry demands an enormous amount of its
employees, and New York City has chosen to give them important job protections.
I stand with workers and with my fellow state attorneys general in this
coalition in strong support of this lawful statute,” said Attorney General
Tong.
In the amicus brief, the coalition argues that the New York City
ordinance grows out of well-established state and local authority to enforce labor
laws that provide vital protections for workers – like minimum wage, overtime, and
prevailing wage laws.
The coalition brief, filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
Second Circuit, asks the court to uphold the ruling of the U.S. District Court
for the Southern District of New York, which agreed that the just cause law is
not preempted by federal law and does not violate the Commerce Clause.
Joining Attorney General Tong and Attorney General James in filing
this brief are the Attorneys General of California, Delaware, Illinois,
Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, and the District
of Columbia.
A copy of the amicus brief is available here.
- Twitter: @AGWilliamTong
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Media Contact:
Elizabeth Benton
elizabeth.benton@ct.gov
Consumer Inquiries:
860-808-5318
attorney.general@ct.gov