Tip Fairness Act Introduced in Ohio House

According to the National Restaurant Association, restaurant workers make up 10% of the overall U.S. workforce. For restaurant workers and other service industry workers, tips can be an important part of take home pay.

A bill introduced recently in the Ohio General Assembly would provide restaurant workers with piece of mind concerning tips. The Tip Fairness Act (HB 534) would prohibit employers from requiring the employer’s employees to participate in a tip pool. A tip pool is a system whereby an employee is required to pay tips into a common fund for distribution among multiple employees. The bill would not prohibit voluntary tip pooling. An employer who violates the statute would be liable for double the difference between the full amount that the employee would have received in tips absent the tip pool and the amount actually paid to the employee from the tip pool. Attorney’s fees may also be allowed under the statute.

You can track the progress of this bill in the Ohio General Assembly through Hannah Capitol Connection, the premier source for Ohio legislative information.