| Many restaurants and bars across the country | | | | difference between minimum wage and the base |
| require their employees to pool their tips into one | | | | rate meaning that it doesn't matter how many |
| big reserve which is then divided across all | | | | tables a person works, the amount at the end of |
| employees evenly at the end of the night. Playing | | | | the night will be the same. |
| into this is that the restaurant may pay the | | | | Sometimes a restaurant will opt to divide the total |
| employees less than minimum wage and then use | | | | tip haul at the end of a pay period. Some |
| the tips to bring the wage up to minimum wage | | | | restaurants may not divide the tips based on the |
| or above. | | | | number of hours worked but rather award a flat |
| One of the big issues in tip sharing comes up | | | | rate based on the number of employees. This is |
| when those that directly earn tips share their tips | | | | not fair to those that both work a lot of hours |
| with those that don't earn tips. For example, | | | | and more tables as they get the same amount |
| requiring the servers and bartenders to share | | | | as a person who works one shift during the entire |
| their tips with the busboys or cleaning staff of | | | | pay period. |
| the restaurant. The servers and bartenders did all | | | | Overall, there are a huge number of problems |
| the work to earn the tip and yet they are | | | | with the concept known as tip sharing. Many of |
| required to share their tips with the staff of the | | | | the tip sharing schemes have been deemed illegal |
| restaurant that doesn't bring in any tip money. | | | | both by legislatures and courts across the |
| Yes, they help the overall atmosphere but they | | | | country. This, however, does not stop restaurants |
| don't actually bring in tips. | | | | and bars alike from attempting to find ways to |
| Another problem with tip sharing is that it doesn't | | | | use tips to ensure that all of their employees |
| necessarily spread evenly. Someone with 10 | | | | make minimum wage without spending more out |
| tables at a time should reasonably expect to earn | | | | of pocket. The biggest problem with this system |
| more in tips than someone working only 5 tables. | | | | is that the tips aren't tips anymore if they are |
| Under pooling and sharing, the tips aren't an extra | | | | used to even out salary. They are then salary |
| in addition to minimum wage. They make up the | | | | except they can't be fully depended on. |