There’s High Hopes For New Law That Would Seriously Benefit Irish Hospitality Workers

A new law put forward by Sinn Fein senators aims to protect waiting staff when it comes to keeping their full tips by ensuring that they are not forced to hand over any of their cash to their boss.

The Protection of Employee Tips Bill 2017 will ensure that all employees in the hospitality industry are legally entitled to the tips that they earn while working and it will be hopefully moved to the second stages next week in the Seanad. 

Under the Irish act, “an employer shall not withhold tips or other gratuities from an employee, make a deduction from an employee’s tips or other gratuities or cause the employee to return or give his or her tips or other gratuities to the employer”.

In a statement the Sinn Fein senators said: “This is a simple Bill that makes it illegal for an employer to withhold, deduct or demand the return of a tip from an employee without a lawful excuse.”

If an employer does deduct tips from staff, “the amount withheld, deducted, returned or given is a debt owing to the employee” and will be treated as wages owed to that worker.

Research in Galway found that 34% of the 400 respondents had experienced the regular withholding of tips by their employer

It comes after numerous surveys found that waiting staff were not allowed take home the full amount of tips earned, with some cases having to give their own money to make up the till if it was short.

The proposed bill would also see a description on menus stating how tips are shared among staff in an aim to show people where their tip is actually going.

Great news for workers in the hospitality industry who may currently be exploited when it comes to the amount of tips they are taking home.