A House committee is expected to reconvene and vote Monday evening on a bipartisan bill that would cap that minimum wage for tipped employees at $8 an hour following pointed testimony on the measure.
Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, is the chief sponsor of H.F. 1027 that would revise the state's minimum wage law and create an exemption allowing employers to pay tipped workers a lower base wage. The bill also has three DFL co-sponsors.
Crafted and supported by the Minnesota Restaurant Association, the proposal would cap tipped employees wages at $8 an hour. The proposed pay rate would apply if, after factoring in tips for each two-week period, those workers earned a total of at least $12 an hour. If they didn't, they'd get the full state minimum wage.
Several labor-affiliated groups and restaurant servers testified in opposition of the bill, including the AFL-CIO and Working America. The Job Growth and Energy Policy Affordability Policy and Finance committee will reconvene Monday night to finish debate on the bill and vote.
