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Yes

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Of course, they should. Except for a few exceptions, such as waitresses in the big-spenders' poker room in Las Vegas resorts or caddies who carry bags for millionaire golfers or billionaire oil executives, most service workers can't depend on tips to make a decent living.

Additionally, most service workers do more than bring food and drink to customers, or style hair, or carry golf bags or deliver pizzas. In addition to those chores in front of customers, the workers usually do considerably more chores behind the scenes. When I was in college, I worked as a car hop. (Do they still have those poor slobs?)

Besides dodging cars around the parking lot, taking orders, picking up food from the cooks and placing the tray outside the driver's window, I also had many other duties. I handled money, made salads and mixed soft drinks, cleaned up around the parking lot and restaurant, and emptied large trash containers behind the shop. Therefore, bosses should always consider the extra unpaid work, where there's no tipping for tasks they must do behind the scenes.

My car hop job was many, many years ago, and I did get a minimum .... very minimum ... wage. I was paid 50 cents an hour, plus one free meal per four hours worked. It did have its advantages for a college student. I usually worked from 5 pm to midnight, and on a busy weekend night, I could make as much as $10 an hour in tips. There were also lonely nights when I only managed $1 in tips. Even the hourly 50 cents and free meal looked good on those slow nights.

With the minimum wage up around $7 to $10 an hour today, I can understand why bosses who are responsible for tight budgets and must compete in the marketplace are reluctant to pay that much to workers who also earn substantial tips. Employers who have those kinds of service workers must find a balance between hourly pay and the tips. If they want to keep good workers on the job, each boss has to come up with a fair balance of compensation. And this should include a guaranteed minimum wage.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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