Feds say a Pittsburgh North Side restaurant stole $41K in tips from its workers

[TexasTowelie]

On Dec. 1, federal investigators for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division said a restaurant on Pittsburgh’s North Side violated the fair labor standards by illegally forcing workers to share tips to pay managers, supervisors, and other employees not usually tipped by customers.

According to Wage and Hour Division District Director John DuMont, Provision PGH LLC, which is a restaurant housed inside the Federal Galley food hall, deceived employees by holding tips and not complying with the tip credit rules set in the Fair Labor Standards Act, and did so to the tune of $41,000 of the restaurant’s 12 employees.

“Tipped employees, such as cashiers, had their tips seized in order to pay the wages of non-tipped employees, including managers,” read a Department of Labor news release. “The employer used a portion of the pooled tips to pay part of the salaries of managers.”

Provision PGH has yet to release a statement on the matter.

“Restaurant workers are essential workers who depend on their tips to earn a living,” DuMont said to TribLive. “They should be paid every penny of their hard-earned wages.”

Read more: https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/feds-say-a-north-side-restaurant-stole-41k-in-tips-from-its-workers/Content?oid=20670432

Whoever made that decision should go to jail for theft.

[napi21]

1. Not only jail, but for a LONG TIME! I'm sure the decision was made by the owner so they'd make more

$$, so I hope now nobody patronizes that restaurant & the owner will find out what it's like to own a bankrupt business too. AH! If I lived there I sure wouldn't ever dine there!!!

[Sherman A1]

2. Sounds like Grand Larceny to me

Those people who received these tips inappropriately should pay them back. The knucklehead who came up with the bright idea needs to be charged with conspiracy and theft along with anyone in authority who was in the know.


If the workers stole $41K from their employer you can be damn sure they would be heading to jail.

[Throck]

3. I hate people like that.

We always tip cash. Server can figure it out.

[modrepub]

4. And How Many Others Are Doing This

and never get caught.

[TexasTowelie]

6. I used to have a friend that worked as a server at a high-end restaurant

so in order to further his college education I was a generous tipper. At some point the restaurant started doing the tip-share program and my friend told me about it. When I found out that he was only getting a few dollars of the generous tips (usually about $50-$60), I made some other arrangements to help out. I wasn't going to contribute to the manager's or cook's salaries when those expenses should have been covered by the corporate office.

[unweird]

5. X them off the list

Been there a few times for brunch and such but whoa, not again. I still have a gift card I picked up there but it’s valid with any of the restaurants there in the Federal Galley.

[FakeNoose]

7. Provision PGH

In all likelihood, I've never patronized this place even though I live on the Northside. I have a few favorites that I visit often, but Provision PGH isn't one of them. I'll make a point of avoiding them from now on.

BTW, I always try to give tips in cash to the waitperson whenever possible. If I don't do that, I never know for sure if she/he received it. I realize that some restaurants allow waitstaff to pool their tips and everyone gets an equal amount. Maybe it's fair because not everyone gets to work the "busy" shifts, but the ones that do have to work twice as hard.