Tipping Is Out of Control. It's Also a Serious Labor Issue.

The article examines the complexities of tipping culture in the United States, highlighting how it perpetuates economic inequality through the subminimum wage system that allows employers to pay tipped workers as little as $2.13 per hour. It discusses the historical roots of this system in racial and gender discrimination, noting that the tipped workforce is disproportionately composed of Black and brown women, and that labor laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 excluded many marginalized workers from fair wages. The rise of the gig economy has expanded reliance on tips to app-based workers, further complicating wage fairness. The article concludes that meaningful labor law reforms are needed to eliminate the subminimum wage and ensure fair compensation for all workers.