A Change To The Way Tips Are Shared Could Be Coming 

(Washington, DC)  —  Waiters, waitresses and other workers may soon be required to share their tips.

A proposal from the Labor Department would allow employers, like restaurant owners, to require staffers share tips if they make at least the federal minimum wage of seven-25 an hour.

The tips would be shared with what are typically called “back of the house” workers, like cooks and dishwashers. The greatest impact would likely be on the restaurant industry, but the change would also apply to other tip-heavy businesses. In a statement, the department says the move would “help decrease wage disparities between tipped and non-tipped workers.”

The public has 30 days to comment on the proposal, which will be published in the federal register tomorrow.