I remember reading that the only way a restaurant can pay less than minimum wage is if the employees make enough tip to make up for it. In other words if everybody just stopped tipping, it would force restaurants to pay normal wage right?
On paper, yes. That’s how it works. Although let’s not pretend that minimum wage is actually a livable wage.
In practice, most employers have a policy that reads something like “we assume you’ve made enough in tips to hit minimum wage, if you don’t, please inform your manager.” Not only does this put the onus of enforcing the rule on employees, it also makes it easier for the restaraunt to say “you’re the only one having this problem, so you must be bad at your job” (when the reality is that no one else reports it for fear of disciplinary action).
Also keep in mind that wage theft is rampant in the US, to the tune of up to $50 billion per year. I don’t know that it’s safe to assume that all of these employers are gonna do the thing they’re supposed to do.
I remember reading that the only way a restaurant can pay less than minimum wage is if the employees make enough tip to make up for it. In other words if everybody just stopped tipping, it would force restaurants to pay normal wage right?
Technically yes, but in reality it rarely happens. Wage theft is the largest form of theft by far, and that’s just from what little ends up reported.
On paper, yes. That’s how it works. Although let’s not pretend that minimum wage is actually a livable wage.
In practice, most employers have a policy that reads something like “we assume you’ve made enough in tips to hit minimum wage, if you don’t, please inform your manager.” Not only does this put the onus of enforcing the rule on employees, it also makes it easier for the restaraunt to say “you’re the only one having this problem, so you must be bad at your job” (when the reality is that no one else reports it for fear of disciplinary action).
I’m sure they do this, but it sounds illegal as fuck and the DoL should probably be made aware.
They might claim that the onus is on the employee to tell the manager, but that’s absurd. There’s no way that can actually be the case, right?
Wait til you hear how they handle breaks
It’s industry standard as far as i’m aware.
I’m surprised as well. Do restaurants not track how much tip each person makes?
Also keep in mind that wage theft is rampant in the US, to the tune of up to $50 billion per year. I don’t know that it’s safe to assume that all of these employers are gonna do the thing they’re supposed to do.