I’m a server at a family-owned restaurant, A new policy was announced this week that requires servers to tip out the bartender/bar back 10% of our alcohol sales at the end of every shift. If we don’t have enough cash, the restaurant says they’ll deduct it from our pay.
Here’s what’s confusing me: • The people scheduled as the bartenders/bar backs are the owner and managers. • This wasn’t the policy before—it just started this week. • The owner is regularly scheduled as a bar back, and from what I understand, she’ll be collecting the tip-outs.
I completely understand tipping out another employee who is working as a bartender or bar back. What I’m unsure about is whether it’s legal or typical for the owner or managers to receive mandatory tip-outs from servers.
Am I misunderstanding how this works, or is this something that could violate Pennsylvania or federal labor laws?
I’m looking for factual information or anyone who’s dealt with a similar situation.
Location: Pennsylvania