Should the employer deduct credit card processing fees from my tips?
Any credit card charges (processing fee) are considered as the employer’s responsibility. It’s also the responsibility of the employer to keep all the record of the tips you receive. Violation of this law is considered a misdemeanor. If your employer has been crediting the tips against your wages, you’re being underpaid.

Is tip pooling legal?
Yes. Tip pooling refers to the collection of all the tips from employees and then splitting them according to the agreed percentages. In California, this is considered legal so long as the previously agreed conditions are met. A general rule of thumb is that the tips included in the pool should be given to the employees only. Supervisors and managers should not share in the tip of the pool. The law also requires that the servers should get the lion’s share with a smaller portion going to busboys and bartenders.

What are the legal consequences of the violations?
Employees who don’t receive their tips are required by law to bring to their employer’s attention their outstanding tips and gratuities. Any employer who violates the California Laws on dispersing tips and gratuities is considered to have committed a misdemeanor. Therefore, you should file a claim at the labor commissioner’s office to recover any wages or tips that are being illegally withheld. Alternatively, you can seek the services of UELG (united employee law group) to file a lawsuit against your employer. And the best part is that an employee cannot be punished for exercising these rights.

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