Tip Laws: Need help
 

I live in TN. We do not have a state minimum wage, so our state goes by Federal Minimum wage laws.


If you make tips, wage starts out as low as $2.13/hr like are restaurants.
Where I work, I make $7/hr plus tips. Though, my boss only reports that we receive $2 to $5 per day in tips.


Minimum wage is currently $6.55, and it is going to go up to $7.25 in July. Now, does my work have the right to still pay me $7/hr, or do they have to pay me at least $7.25/hr now? I have no clue if $2 to $5 a day in reported tips would put us in tip wage laws, or if there is a certain amount in tips that you have to make before you fall into the tip wage laws.


Minimum wage is going up $0.70, so I am just wanting to try and keep my same standard of living, by getting my pay increased to at least $7.70/hr. But by law, it might seem like my work can still pay be $7/hr if they wish.


The same will also go for opening shift. Opening shift currently makes $8.50, which I sometimes work, so that would need to be increased to at least $9.20/hr.

Your employer is only obligated to increase your wage if your total income per hour including tips is less than minimum wage.

So would that also include this?

You work 4 hours a day at $7/hr. Minimum wage increases to $7.25/hr. But you make $1 a day in tip money.
The employer has the right to still only pay you $7/hr?


Kind of messed up. I would only think that tip laws would only apply for when you make tip wages, which is $2.13/hr.
Sucks cause in our state, they tried increased that to like $2.87, but for some reason it didn't pass. As well, I wonder how many people are taken advantage of. I know a couple that work at a restaurant making $2.13/hr plus tips, and some days they didn't even get minimum wage which is $6.55 at the end of the night. They didn't know the law about it, and that their employer has to make up the difference.
Sucks for restaurant workers, as their standard of living has drastically decreased here in the past couple of years in my state.

What about cow tipping? I was young, we did it, legal?

Liar, you never went cow tipping.

basically correct that would be fine if you sucked so bad at your job that you only got a dollar in four hours.

i dont remember 100%, but i dont think it goes on a per day basis, since some days are better than others, its probably more like pay period, and i would think it could only be tracked well if it were a place that requires you to report your tips, or at least a min amount of tips.

you are right, it can be messed up though

I've also gone snipe hunting.

Those things are hard to catch.