Gov. Andrew Cuomo is considering a big change that would affect workers on Long Island and around the state.

Cuomo is considering ending the tipped-wages credit.

That allows owners of businesses to pay workers less than the legal minimum wage if workers like waiters also earn tips that increase their pay above the minimum.

'We have families to support," says Karen Duhigg, a Lindenhurst waitress for the last 40 years. "We have bills like everyone else."

Duhigg and others would receive minimum wage in addition to their tips, and the state minimum wage will increase to $11 an hour in January.

Some small businesses say they won't be able to tolerate it, but at the end of the day, they'll pass the added expense to their customers.

"We have no other choice than to raise our prices," explains Michael Nerantzeinis, the manager at Celebrity Diner.

Cuomo says he'll explain more of the plan in his State of the State address on Jan. 3. He also says he's ordered the Department of Labor to hold public hearings on the issue.