If you’ve ever stood at a self-checkout thinking, “So...am I on the payroll now?” a New York lawmaker says you might have a point. Assemblywoman Nikki Lucas has introduced a bill that would require large retailers—think Walmart, Target and other chains with more than 500 employees nationwide and over $1 billion in annual sales—to give shoppers a 10% discount for using self-checkout. Her argument? Customers are doing work that used to be done by paid cashiers, and stores are saving money by shifting that job onto us.
The proposal didn’t make it out of committee this legislative session, so don’t start planning what you’ll do with all those savings just yet. But it has definitely sparked a debate over whether self-checkout is a convenience or just free labor. If this thing ever becomes law, suddenly hearing “Please place your item in the bagging area” won’t be quite as irritating... unless you’re the one who accidentally scans your avocados as bananas.