A man in New York City landed in hot water for accepting $20 from a grateful resident.

You would think tipping a service employee for their hard work is a kind gesture. However a man in New York City landed in hot water for accepting $20 from a grateful resident.

Lenworth Dixon, a sanitation worker for the city, not only lost his job for that small tip but was also forced to pay a fine. In September of 2013, Dixon had been working on a street in Queens when a homeowner asked him to pick up numerous discarded items like furniture and pieces of wood in front of the home.

Dixon agreed and collected the junk. He then pocketed the $20 tip for his duty. While it appeared to be a simple exchange, local authorities weren’t happy about it.

A city charter notes “No public servant shall receive compensation except from the city for performing any official duty, or accept any gratuity from any person whose interests may be affected by the public servant’s official action.” That translates to no tips.

Dixon, who had worked for the city for 25 years, was ordered to retire from his over $73,000 a year job. January 16th was his final day as a New York City sanitation worker.

His fine for pocketing the mere $20 tip was $1,500.