It is an understatement to say that the past year has been rough for New York City’s restaurant industry. Tourists used to spend years saving up so that they could have some of New York’s famous dining experiences, a corned beef sandwich at a deli, a peerless plate of pasta, shawarma from Mamoun’s, an elegant dinner after the theater. Then there were the artistic types who moved to New York and were determined to stay there at any price, living in apartments so small there was no room to cook anything more complex than instant ramen. Crowds and the frenetic exchange of money are among New York City’s claims to fame; they ground to a halt as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the United States, and even now that 20% of New Yorkers have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, the restaurant industry is still a long way from its pre-pandemic conditions. New York’s City Council has introduced two bills that could ease the financial burden on local restaurants as they try to regain their footing.
Intro 2234
The first bill, Intro 2234, was introduced by Vanessa Gibson and Mark Gjonaj. It takes aim at the fines that represented a significant burden for restaurants even before the pandemic. During the pandemic, the city has collected more than $10 million in fines from restaurants, and the bill proposes to return some of that money. It would suspend collection of certain fines until the current pandemic ends. City authorities would still be able to collect fines for serious offenses such as price gouging, however.
Intro 2233
The other bill, Intro 2233, also the work of Gibson and Gjonaj, would give businesses a longer time to correct violations before assessing the fine, sometimes as long as 30 days, as long as those violations do not endanger customers’ health or safety. These are some of the minor violations for which restaurant owners would no longer be responsible for immediately paying a $200 fine:
- Failing to keep the original nutrition information labels on food ingredients in their kitchens
- Restaurants with canopies failing to display canopy permits
- Failing to display the city’s smoke-free air policy
Violations that pose a risk to customers’ safety, such as not adequately cleaning food preparation surfaces, would still be subject to hefty fines.
What to Do if Your Restaurant Gets Charged a Fine
The recently introduced bills would go a long way to helping New York City small businesses in the restaurant industry remain financially solvent, allowing a greater number of people to have stable employment. It is still possible that city officials might unfairly assess fees, or that your restaurant might be the object of unfair complaints. If you are a New York City restaurant owner involved in a dispute with city officials about your business, hiring a business lawyer is the best way to resolve the dispute.
It is an understatement to say that the past year has been rough for New York City’s restaurant industry. Tourists used to spend years saving up so that they could have some of New York’s famous dining experiences, a corned beef sandwich at a deli, a peerless plate of pasta, shawarma from Mamoun’s, an elegant dinner after the theater. Then there were the artistic types who moved to New York and were determined to stay there at any price, living in apartments so small there was no room to cook anything more complex than instant ramen. Crowds and the frenetic exchange of money are among New York City’s claims to fame; they ground to a halt as the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the United States, and even now that 20% of New Yorkers have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, the restaurant industry is still a long way from its pre-pandemic conditions. New York’s City Council has introduced two bills that could ease the financial burden on local restaurants as they try to regain their footing.
Intro 2234
The first bill, Intro 2234, was introduced by Vanessa Gibson and Mark Gjonaj. It takes aim at the fines that represented a significant burden for restaurants even before the pandemic. During the pandemic, the city has collected more than $10 million in fines from restaurants, and the bill proposes to return some of that money. It would suspend collection of certain fines until the current pandemic ends. City authorities would still be able to collect fines for serious offenses such as price gouging, however.
Intro 2233
The other bill, Intro 2233, also the work of Gibson and Gjonaj, would give businesses a longer time to correct violations before assessing the fine, sometimes as long as 30 days, as long as those violations do not endanger customers’ health or safety. These are some of the minor violations for which restaurant owners would no longer be responsible for immediately paying a $200 fine:
- Failing to keep the original nutrition information labels on food ingredients in their kitchens
- Restaurants with canopies failing to display canopy permits
- Failing to display the city’s smoke-free air policy
Violations that pose a risk to customers’ safety, such as not adequately cleaning food preparation surfaces, would still be subject to hefty fines.
What to Do if Your Restaurant Gets Charged a Fine
The recently introduced bills would go a long way to helping New York City small businesses in the restaurant industry remain financially solvent, allowing a greater number of people to have stable employment. It is still possible that city officials might unfairly assess fees, or that your restaurant might be the object of unfair complaints. If you are a New York City restaurant owner involved in a dispute with city officials about your business, hiring a business lawyer is the best way to resolve the dispute.