Senators yesterday passed legislation designed to protect service workers from having their tips and gratuities being taken by their employers.

The Employment (Protection of Employee Tips and Other Gratuities) Amendment Act 2023 will help to ensure that tips go to the workers who earned them.

Douglas De Couto, an Opposition senator, asked which industries had been consulted over the legislation. The Chamber of Commerce claimed recently that it had not been consulted but later retracted the statement with an apology.

Owen Darrell, the Government Senate Leader and Minister of Youth, Culture and Sport, accused Dr De Couto of “throwing shade” on the consultation process.

However, Leslie Robinson, a government senator and Junior Minister of Economy and Labour and Public Works, told Dr De Couto that the Labour Advisory Council had been consulted. It includes employer groups, the chamber, the Bermuda Employers’ Council, and the unions, police, prisons and fire associations.

Ms Robinson confirmed that the legislation did not prohibit managers who are employees benefiting from tips and gratuities.

The new amendments would define gratuities, prevent the withholding of gratuities and establish safeguards.

The amendments will also lay out civil penalties for employees found to breach the rules