NY Stripper Business Fined for Not Providing Workers Comp

NEW YORK—In New York, as in California, workers’ compensation insurance is a requirement of state labor laws, even for adult business. Hire workers without having the proper coverage and the state could step in and levy fines. That’s just what happened to the owners of Tops in Bottoms, a service that provides strippers for parties. According to the Times Union, “Tops in Bottoms Entertainment was assessed a $4,500 penalty by the state Workers' Compensation Board for not providing its employees with compensation insurance between August 2011 and February 2012.” The service actually got off easy. “Tops in Bottoms,” the article continued, “which on its website says its dancers will ‘make or break your party or gathering,’ was originally assessed a $30,000 penalty for that period by the board. It was later settled for the $4,500, which has been paid, the board said.” This isn’t the first time, either. “Three years ago, Tops and Bottoms was penalized $42,000 by the board for not having insurance for its employees between July 2009 and February 2010, according to board records. In that case, Tops and Bottoms eventually settled for $11,498.25.” So, for not providing workers’ comp twice, the company was fined a total of $87,000 and only had to pay $15,998.25; and then, on top of that, they got to pay a smaller fine for the second violation. The way things are going, the next time they’re caught the state will end up owing them.