Higher Wages for Pa. Tipped Workers

The Associated Press reports tipped workers like wait staff and hair dressers in Pennsylvania will soon have to make more than four times as much money in tips to be paid below the state’s minimum wage. That's under a new regulation approved Monday, March 21. It could take effect in the coming months.

AP says right now, employers in the Commonwealth can pay tipped employees less the state’s minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, to as low as $2.83-cents. The caveat is, those tipped workers have to make at least $30 a month in tips. Under the newly approved rule, that monthly tip threshold will rise to $135 a month.

The rule also says an employee must spend at least 80 percent of their time on tipped work to be classified as a tipped employee.

Governor Tom Wolf has been a long-time advocate of raising Pennsylvania's minimum wage which lags below several other states.

New York is currently in the process of raising the bottom wage for all workers to $15 an hour. Current minimum wage in areas outside of New York City is $13.20 with the tipped wage minimum of $8.80.

Washington State's minimum and tipped wages are both $14.49 according to minimumwage.com.