New York State Restaurant Reservation Anti-Piracy Act Cracks Down on a "Leech Industry"
The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: Chipotle and Sweetgreen Settle Food Fight Over CHIPOTLE Trademark
Shining a Light on Greek Cuisine with Chef Doug Psaltis
Podcast: The Briefing by the IP Law Blog - Cookie Co’s Motion to Dismiss Trademark Lawsuit by Restaurant Crumbles
The Briefing by the IP Law Blog: Cookie Co’s Motion to Dismiss Trademark Lawsuit by Restaurant Crumbles
FLSA and Wage and Hour Issues for Restaurants
Restaurant Rebound: How Employers Can Build and Keep Top-Notch Service Teams
Reporting Cash Tips to the IRS [More with McGlinchey, Ep. 24]
From More Delivery, Takeout and Outdoor Dining Options to Financial Relief – How Restaurants Have Managed Throughout the Pandemic
Strategies for Restaurant Owners to Survive in the New Normal
RCG Webinar | Where's the Beef?
II-30- Tackling 3 Big Wage and Hour Questions for Employers
Stealth Lawyer: Mark Russ Federman, Appetizing Shop Owner
New York restaurant owners must navigate complex tip pooling and tip credit regulations to ensure compliance with federal and state labor laws. Failure to follow these rules can result in lawsuits, back wages, and penalties....more
There’s been a lot of buzz about tipped wages as Election Day approaches – and hospitality employers will want to track key proposals that may have a huge impact on pay practices. Former President Trump and Vice President...more
Massachusetts voters will decide this November whether employers may continue taking a “tip credit” and paying tipped employees below the state’s standard minimum wage. While restaurant industry representatives fought to keep...more
Many restaurants utilize tip pools to encourage teamwork, consistency, and customer-focused service – but you may be confused about who can and can’t participate in the pool. You feel confident that your servers and...more
The tip wars between hospitality employers and employees continue unabated. Numerous lawsuits contend that restaurants and other employers wrongfully retain or require sharing of customer gratuities, as well as violate Fair...more
Recent news of six-digit demands and lawsuits filed by the Department of Labor against multiple Oregon-based institutional restaurant chains has local businesses across the service industry wondering: “Are we tipping our...more
Dear Littler, We operate sandwich shops in a couple of states. Although we have tables, we don’t have table service, and customers pick up food at the counter themselves to either take out or seat themselves at our...more
In the restaurant/service industry, gratuities (To Ensure Prompt Service or “tips”) motivate individuals to seek employment. Everywhere you turn, even if you did not receive any real service, workers are seeking tips....more
Do you utilize a tip pool in your restaurant? If so, you are likely aware of the various rules on maintaining a valid, lawful tip pool under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and applicable state laws. You surely...more
Employees in a restaurant setting often receive tips, and employers often take a “tip credit” toward the minimum wage that they have to pay (allowing the employer in Arkansas to pay $2.63/hour to the tipped employee if the...more
For years, Kentucky has been one of the few outlier states that further complicated tip pooling by requiring all tip pools to be voluntary. While federal regulations have flipped and flopped with the tide of the changing...more
Employers in the restaurant and hospitality industries know it’s a common practice to ask workers to share gratuities. Tip pools can promote teamwork and a better customer experience – but they can also land you in hot water...more
With the government’s final rules on the tips provisions of federal wage and hour law becoming effective just weeks ago, employers will be challenged with ensuring they have a plan to address the rules’ impact on their...more
Beginning December 28, 2021, employers must pay tipped employees the full minimum wage for periods when non tip-producing work is performed for a substantial amount of time, in light of a new Department of Labor (DOL) Final...more
Tip Credits under the Fair Labor Standards Act - The Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) generally permits employers to pay tipped employees less than the minimum hourly wage, provided that the tips the employee receives are...more
On September 23, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) issued its latest rule related to tip pooling. The rule modifies and clarifies aspects of a rule previously issued by the Trump administration. ...more
The old “80/20 rule” is back again for tipped workers under the latest proposed Final Rule issued by the Department of Labor (DOL) last month. Employers in the service industry, especially those employers who take a tip...more
The seemingly never-ending battle over interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act’s tip credit provision took another turn Monday. The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued proposed rules that would set...more
Days before the January 20, 2021, presidential inauguration, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), under the outgoing administration, issued a flurry of new regulations, rules and opinion letters that could significantly impact...more
On January 15, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor issued two opinion letters addressing tip-related issues. The first, FLSA2021-4, addresses whether, and in what circumstances, a restaurant that takes a tip credit for its...more
Restauranteurs continue to be challenged by the mandated closures and limitations on operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the industry may be facing new legal challenges in 2021 as this sector’s economic...more
On December 22, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued final regulations effective February 21, 2021, implementing changes to its policies regarding tipped employees. The rules expand circumstances under...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Just before the holidays, the Department of Labor’s Wage-Hour Division issued its final pay regulations governing tipped employees. The final regulations, which were published December 22, 2020 and will...more
Executive Summary: On Tuesday, December 22, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced its final rule regarding expansion of tip pool sharing and limitations on the 80/20 rule....more
Several states’ minimum wage rates will increase in 2021. The following chart lists the state (and certain major locality) minimum wage increases for 2021 - and future years, if available - along with the related changes in...more