Your Employer’s Illegal Charges: Unveiling Deductions for Servers and Bartenders

As part 3 of our informative series, Empowering Servers, today we unravel an issue that’s all too common in the restaurant industry – illegal charges and deductions. If you’re a server or bartender grappling with legal questions about your employer charging you for various items or expenses, you’re in the right place. This post will shed light on why such practices are against the law. Stay tuned for the next article in our ongoing Empowering Servers blog series which will focus on two of the most common questions we get: ‘side work’ and ‘tip pooling’.

The Illegal Truth Behind Your Employer’s Charges

Ever been asked by your employer to pay for your uniform, tools like crumbers, pepper mills, or cover costs like credit card processing fees and glass breakage? It’s time to question such practices because, under federal law, they are illegal!

Your Hard-Earned Tips Aren’t for Employer’s Expenses

As a tipped employee, your income is primarily from tips. When you’re required to cover costs for your uniform or any other tool, essentially, you’re paying the employer out of your tips. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) prohibits this practice.

Unlawful Practices Disguised as Employee’s Expenditures

Unfortunately, some employers evade the law by asking employees to purchase uniforms or tools before employment or in other covert ways. Remember, even disguised, these charges are illegal under federal law.

Understand Your Rights and Empower Yourself

Awareness is the first step towards empowerment. Your employer cannot legally impose costs like uniforms, aprons, tools, credit card processing fees, glass breakage fees, or walked tabs on you.

Seek Legal Aid for Your Rights

If you suspect your rights are being infringed upon, it’s time to take action. Engage with an experienced wage and hour attorney to navigate your legal path.

Empowering Servers: What’s Ahead?

In this part of our series, we focused on the unlawful nature of charges and costs that many servers and bartenders are burdened with. In our forthcoming part four, we’ll delve deeper into ‘side work’ and its impact on your wages and tips. Part five will be dedicated to ‘tip pooling’ and its intricacies.

Take Action if Your Employer is Requiring You to Pay for Uniforms or Tools

Illegal deductions can eat into your hard-earned money. As a server or bartender, arm yourself with the knowledge of your rights. Herrmann Law is here to support and empower you. If you’re facing illegal charges by your employer, we encourage you to seek advice from one of our experienced wage and hour attorneys by calling 817-479-9229.

We’re more than a law firm – through our tireless advocacy and legal representation for servers and bartenders, we are empowering servers and bartenders across the country. If you believe your rights have been violated, the employee rights advocates at Herrmann Law are ready to fight for your cause. Feel free to call us at (817) 479-9229 or submit your information to us online for review and someone from our office will contact you within 1 business day.

Stay tuned for Part 4 of our series, where we will focus on the legal issues regarding (everyone’s favorite): “side work.”