TIPPeD worKers who In Florida there are over 370,000 tipped worK IN resTAurANTs workers, and nearly 65% of these work in the restaurant industry. The restaurant industry employs nearly 10% of the workforce and is one of the fastest growing sectors of 3 LowesT PAID the economy. Unfortunately, the restaurant TIPPeD occuPATIoNs industry offers several of Florida’s lowest paid Bussers, ruNNers, & jobs. Five of the ten lowest paid occupations bArTeNDer AssIsTANTs are in the restaurant industry, and three of CouNTer ATTeNDANTs these are tipped occupations. SERVERS
64%
The state minimum wage is $7.91, but the tipped minimum wage is even lower at only $4.93. The minimum wage increases annually with inflation due to a voter supported ballot initiative. However, including tips, tipped workers in Florida earn a median wage of only $8.25 – equivalent to $17,160 for a fulltime year-round employee. Tipped workers generally are allowed part-time schedules that vary by season. Seven states have eliminated the tipped minimum wage – in those states tipped workers receive the full minimum wage. A bill introduced in 2014 seeks to eliminate the tip credit and allow tipped workers to earn the full minimum wage of $10.10.
TIPPeD MINIMuM wAGe
$4.93 $7.91 $8.25
MINIMuM wAGe
MeDIAN wAGe for TIPPeD worKers INcLuDING TIPs
TIPPeD WorKers AND The RIsING AMerIcAN ELecTorATe
The Rising American Electorate refers to the demographic groups that are growing the most rapidly, historically with lower voter participation rates, but whose growing civic engagement has been crucial in tipping the scales in recent elections. Tipped workers are primarily women, over 30% are moms, and although many are married, half of these are single moms. Although the median age for tipped workers is 32, half of them are younger. And they are racially diverse, overrepresented by Latinos, Asians, and African Americans compared to the broader workforce. They are also a highly educated group. Tipped workers are a snapshot of the RAE.
GeNDer
65%
35%
TIPPeD WorKers AND The RIsING AMerIcAN ELecTorATe
EDUCATIoN
44%
hIGher eDucATIoN
PAreNTAL
STATus
Married 29% Parents 28% Dads 19% Moms 32% Single Moms 17%
MArITAL &
AGE RACE 32
MeDIAN AGe
< _ 24 29% 25-34 26% 35-44 18% 45+ 28%
52
White 57% Latino 22% Black 13% Asian 7% Other 0%
% of tipped
worker moms are single moms
POVERTY
TIPPeD resTAurANT worKers
oN free LuNches In states with a tipped minimum wage of $2.13,
PAreNTs wITh chILDreN
ES
TAU R ANT
43%
worKers oN fooD sTAMPs
1.14x resT of U.S. worKforce
INDUSTRY GROWTH
the poverty rates for workers of color is nearly double that of the seven states without a tipped minimum wage, with one in four living in poverty.
WHite PeOple Of COlOr All
16%
PoverTY rATes IN $2.13 sTATes
16% 25% 20%
PoverTY rATes IN sTATes wITh No TIP creDIT
13% 14% 14%
The industry projects employment will continue to grow at the rate of 15% over the next decade.
HINDusTrY ProJecTeD sALes 2014 ➤ 34.7 bILLIoN
RAIse The MINIMuM WAGe
MINIMIM
Living off tips is precarious, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Raising the minimum wage and eliminating the tipped credit would provide a significant stimulus to the U.S. economy in tipped wages alone, providing a boost to local economies and the broader food industry, as well.