| Many restaurants are required by law to comply | | | | $2.13 an hour in direct wages and make sure that |
| with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This is | | | | the amount of tips received is enough to meet |
| mainly for the employee's protection, but it | | | | the remainder of the minimum wage." Uniforms, |
| provides clear guidelines to an employer for what | | | | customers who walk out without paying, or other |
| is acceptable and how to pay and withhold taxes | | | | business expenses are not allowed to be |
| from their staff's paychecks. Here are some of | | | | deducted if it reduces an individual's paycheck |
| the provisions of the FLSA and who is subject to | | | | below minimum wage. The FLSA states that |
| them. | | | | employers cannot take their staff's tips, except if |
| If your restaurant has sales that total more than | | | | tip allocation is allowed. |
| five hundred thousand dollars a year you are | | | | Since many in the food service industry are |
| subject to FLSA. Another covered category is | | | | younger there are more requirements about |
| individuals who are engaged in "interstate | | | | minimum age and how many hours minors can |
| commerce". This is a rather broad class that | | | | work. For example, although fourteen and fifteen |
| includes employees that handle credit card | | | | year olds are permitted to work, they are not |
| transactions, for example. Making sure you | | | | allowed more than three hours on a school day or |
| understand whether or not your restaurant must | | | | eight hours on a non-school day. Even in the |
| comply with the FLSA is incredibly important for | | | | summertime minors are not allowed to work |
| the legal status of your establishment so if you | | | | before seven in the morning or past nine o'clock |
| have any doubts, please consult your accountant | | | | at night. The minimum wage for minors less than |
| or lawyer. | | | | twenty years old is four dollars and twenty-five |
| As of 2009, the minimum wage for workers | | | | cents. I began working in the food service |
| under FLSA is seven dollars and twenty-five | | | | industry when I was fifteen and clearly remember |
| cents an hour. According to the Internal Revenue | | | | being frustrated by the limitations I faced. |
| Service, "Tips may be considered as part of | | | | However, the regulations are in place to safeguard |
| wages, but the employer must pay not less than | | | | rather than stifle. |