Can assistant managers get tips?

[serena]

If this is in the wrong section please feel free to move it!

I was recently hired as an assistant manager for a new coffee shop. My duties will mainly be barista duties, but I will also help train new baristas, order items, organize and help set up the shop, etc.

I've decided that I want to be paid hourly. I'll pretty much be a lead barista, but my title will be assistant manager. Since I'll be doing barista work 90% - 95% of the time, I think it's only fair I get my share of the tips I know with Starbucks there is a lawsuit right now about tips. With what I'm doing, would I still be able to get tips?

 

[PinkRose]

Serena,

Is this a privately owned coffee shop? If so, have the owners discussed how they feel about you getting a share of the tips? If it's privately owned, there is no law about whether or not you receive tips. It's up to you, the owners, and the other baristas to decide what's right.

Your new hourly wage should compensate you for your new job duties as well as make up for what you would have received in tips.

But if the hourly wage doesnt reflect a decent increase, and if nothing else has changed, except for your job title and some extra responsibilities, there should be no problem with you receiving tips for the hours that you work as a barista.

I used to work in a cafe where the new assistant manager got a $1.50 an hour increase above what the baristas were being paid, and she wasn't allowed to get any tips even when she helped out as a barista. She was okay with that, and the baristas were okay with it. It seemed to set boundaries between the positions.

It will be interesting to read what the other Coffee Forum members think.

Rose

 

[topher]

I agree. If they should pay you more for the position to compensate for no tips. I never accept tips. Once I was running the shop by myself and I made something like $20 in tips. The next day my employee asked where the money from the previous day tips were. I asked him what he meant. He said I was supposed to leave the tips in the jar since I did not accept tips. LOL...he expected me to leave the tips when no one else was there. I used to upset the baristas at the casino I roasted at. I would jump on bar and people would try to palm me money. I would not accept it and say "waiting on you was my tip"

 

[CoffeeJunky]

I think it really depends on the situation as well. I totally agree with Topher and rose. But sometimes there are situations come up where customers are really appreciated what they got and want to tip you to reward your excellent work.

 

[CoffeeLovers]

It is a ruling of the New York Court appeals that Starbucks baristas must share tips collected in a plastic containers at the register with the shift supervisor. But assistant managers are not eligible for cut.

If you work in a coffee shop that is not own by Starbucks, it is the arrangement of the owner and yourself how should tip be divided. It is only the owner and the workers can arrange this matter which is mutually agreed between the owners and the workers. You should have legal arrangement sign by the owner and you as assistant manager to avoid further trouble.