An ongoing hot topic that has been on many people’s minds nowadays would definitely include the proposal for increasing minimum wage in America. However, one group is going unnoticed and unrepresented in the debates. Since the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) was put into effect in 1938, it has become acceptable to require certain workers to work for tips. Waiters and waitresses make up the majority of this class of employees. The law states that “an employer of a tipped employee is only required to pay 2.13 an hour in direct wages of that plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage, the employee retains all tips and the employee customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips” (“Fair Labor Standards Act Advisor”). Of course, this does not always work in the favor of the employee. However, there is substantial evidence that is in favor of giving tipped workers an actual, livable wage. In order to ensure that all workers in America are treated equally, waiters and waitresses in the United States should be paid the base minimum wage of seven dollars and twenty-five cents ($7.25) per hour. To start off, it is commonly agreed upon that tipping at the end of a meal is often annoying and stressful. It is not required by law to tip anyone, but the guilt of social norms forces one to calculate what their server deserves. Someone cannot ever simply order something from a dine-in restaurant and pay for the price on the menu; it ends in a frustrating math calculation, which sours the mood at the end of what was possibly an enjoyable meal. However, while this is only an inconvenience for the paying customer, it is the difference between poverty and making ends meet for a server. Statistically speaking,... ... middle of paper ... ...ability of the wages of tipped workers is unfair and should be illegal, considering that the laws that are meant to protect these employees are often violated. Violations do not only happen to waiters, because "in some regions, the Department of Labor itself has recorded Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) noncompliance levels at above 50 percent in the nursing home, poultry processing, daycare, and restaurant industries" (Fine). Overall, the noncompliance seems to be an epidemic, and something must be done to change it. In the end, tipped workers, especially waiters and waitresses, are treated unfairly no matter how one looks at it. Our tip to you is: encourage restaurants to stop enforcing tips and start considering the livelihoods of their employees, who deserve the same wages as any other minimum wage worker (no matter what the federal minimum wage may become.)
According to the established FLSA, non-exempt employees working on an hourly basis should make a living wage working the forty hour work week. Currently,minimum wage is not equal to the living wage. An action needs to be taken now, before the middle class completely disappears. One percent of the populations owns more of the wealth than the other ninety-nine percent.If the working class is not able to improve its current situation only two social classes will exist. America will be divided by a high well paid class and a low class with a minimum wage
Within those two years of the coworker working there, she received a seventy- five cent raise and she doesn’t complain much because at the age she is at, it hinders her from being employed at a high-tip place. This is a prime example of oppression because in order to make ends meet, some family members have to stay with each other because they do not make enough money to afford rent. Also, she is older and she did not mention that she received any benefits such as Medicare or Social Security, therefore she has to continue working to provide for herself and help her
The dining experience in America is a completely unique one. We all rely on our waiter or waitress when we go out to a sit down restaurant to take care of our needs. Many people do not realize the amount of work their server does for them in the hour they sit at that table, causing servers to be grossly under paid in comparison to other tipped professions. Server minimum wage should be raised because it is inconsistent payment, it is a poorly understood tradition, and it is a contributing factor in the stress levels of the servers.
Clincher: As Robin Williams would say, have a good night and be sure to tip your waitresses.
All in all, beggars can’t be choosers. From the Percenters to the Whale Tippers, all tips are appreciated. Regardless of what category you fall in, every time you tip a server, you leave an impression. Everytime you dine out, you have a chance to change your category.
Nayak, Rajesh, and Paul Sonn. Restoring the Minimum Wage for America’s Tipped Workers. Rep. National Employment Law Project, 2009. Web. 30 Oct. 2014. .
These reasons briefly are: tips do not drive hard work, perceived racial bias creates differences in service, and tip credit allows restaurants to under pay workers. All of these reasons are supported by facts, statistics, and examples. The facts and statistics in this article all appear to be from credible sources, which shows that Palmer researched his topic thoroughly before writing this article. An example of one of the well placed statistics in Palmer’s argument is “According to a 2000 study, a customer’s assessment of the server’s work only accounts for between 1 and 5 percent of the variation in tips at a restaurant.” (Paragraph 3). This statistic is not only shocking, but provides an insight for the readers on how little one’s services provided are actually being paid for considering a later fact mentioned about how little some restaurants are allowed to pay their
Experience, I worked at Wendy’s were employees are treated with respect and are even given free food
Fast-food workers have been protesting for a minimum wage of $15 dollars an hour and the freedom to unionize. The workers have organized numerous protests this year. During the protests they have walked out and chanted slogans regarding their pay. The main fast-food companies that are effected is McDonald's and Burger King. They both have stated that they will not press charges and indeed are allowing the workers to return. These workers that are participating in the strike doesn’t represent the majority of the fast-food employees. The people participating in the strike are not only youths but adults and elders as well. Due to the countries low employment rate many of these workers are supporting a family or other dependents. This is where most of the fast-food workers are getting their motivation to protest this industry. Unfortunately, many Americans are questioning the negative economic effects of their proposed wage and their lack of worthiness to receive that big of a pay raise. However, I believe that with some adjustment and research we can find a way to make everyone happy. My solution advises that we support Obama’s nine dollars an hour minimum wage proposal. It will give the fast-food workers financial support, release the burden of the taxpayer’s assistance, and keep inflation balanced.
Tips are generally a small amount of money given to a person as gratitude for a service that has been provided. There are many times throughout our everyday lives in which we are put in a position to leave a gratuity. Whether it be dining at a restaurant, getting your hair cut at the salon, or having a few drinks with friends at a bar. In each case there was a service provided to you, now you have a decision to make, how much of a tip is considered acceptable and should you tip everyone that provides a service to you? There are many guidelines for consumers to follow. With modern technology there are convenient tip calculators available as features on most new cellular phones. When deciding on the tip amount the service is one of the major determining factors along with whether or not you plan on visiting the establishment again , and how the tip will play a role in your further dealings with said business. Michael Lewis explores a few interesting reasons why tipping is getting out of hand in a recent essay. I strongly agree with many points and examples he provides.
Tipping is an outdated way to allow a business to not pay employees a consistent fair wage. Group pressure and situational pressure push this idea that you must tip and it is the wrong thing to do otherwise. Tipping is not only what pushes our wait staff into poverty, but what helps them get there. The restaurants are in the long run not even gaining as much as they are losing, and in most restaurants are only there as a staple of the past. With low employee job satisfaction and low inconsistent pay, the cost for re-training and hiring new employees often outweighs the cost of giving the wait staff a proper consistent pay. Tipping also breeds a dichotomy between the wait staff and the customers that is unhealthy, with the wait staff doing
Now, Saru goes on to explain how a New York restaurateur Danny Meyers plans on getting rid of the tipping system and creating a set minimum wage of $15. When I read the word “minimum” and then “$15”
One of the primary reasons to abolish tipping is because tipping has weak correlation with the quality of service provided. According to Archibugi, “personal sympathy, charm, flirtation, and attitude” can play significant role in determining the amount of the tip disbursed (61). Recent research indicates that average tip of waitresses in their 30’s with “large breast, blond hair, and slender bodies” is higher compared to other waitresses who lack these traits (Lynn 743). Thus, this leads to fact that tipping can sometime be unjust. Attractive service provider may receive high tip compared to unattractive service provider even if the latter one had catered with better service quality.
What they don’t take into consideration is the kitchen crew, and when they do, it’s when their food is not to their liking. So, when customers tip the waiter for their good service the crew who actually made the customers food is not getting their share. I carhop Sonic Drive In, and I make tips while working. None of the tips I make ever goes to the kitchen staff. I make drinks, take orders, handle rowdy customers, and deliver the food out to cars. I’d rather do all of those things that slave away behind a grill and fryer during a happy hour rush. The cooks are the unsung heroes at restaurants and do not get the same compensation as the waiters. Now, some establishments share the tips waiters collect with the kitchen. However, this is hardly fair for the waiter, who is still getting paid the two-three dollar hourly waiting wage. There is no balance where both the waiter and entire kitchen crew is compensated. The banning of tipping will make it fair for the cooks who are working hard to cook delicious meals and for the waiters who provide great service to the consumers as
When I receive a rude waiter or waitress I can be very outspoken. I do not think that I should pay for a service that is not satisfactory. I can be even more outspoken when I am expressing my opinion to a server and I do not see any improvement. Receiving a rude server can ruin my entire experience and cause me to never go back.