In 1997 minimum wage increased nationally from 4.25 hourly to 5.15 hourly. Up to that point tipped employees were paid half of minimum wage , (I.E. 2.13 half off 4.25) , and then it never kept up as the rest of the country had increased to a minimum wage of 7.25. Even though I DO NOT understand why the minimum wage increase done nationally did not cover tipped employees,because minimum wage should be addressed to everyone. When I first started working as a server in 1995 I had always received a weekly paycheck for around 30 dollars. And I had continued to receive a paycheck NO LOWER then around 10 dollars a week up till 2005. Last ten years I've never received a paycheck. It's time for tipped employees to catch up with inflation and taxes, as well as minimum wage for the country.



