Tipped Employee Protection Act
In progressTipped Employee Protection Act This bill modifies the definition of a tipped employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to exclude consideration of an employee's duties when determining if the employee is a tipped employee. Under current law, tipped employees may be paid less than the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 an hour), but the total of their cash wage and tips must be at least equal to the federal minimum wage. Under the FLSA, a tipped employee is currently a worker who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips. The bill broadens the definition of tipped employee to include any worker who receives tips and other cash wages for a work period at a rate that is at least the federal minimum wage, without regard to the duties of the employee. Under the bill, the work period is a work period that is determined by the employer.
Jan 13, 2026POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - Pursuant to clause 1(c) of rule XIX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on H.R. 2312 is postponed.
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The Tipped Employee Protection Act aims to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act by redefining 'tipped employee' to ensure that their combined tips and cash wages meet or exceed the federal minimum wage. It allows employers flexibility in determining the period for calculating these wages. The bill focuses on wage protection for tipped employees without introducing new funding or complex enforcement mechanisms.
