SERVERS

BUSSERS, RUNNERS, &

BARTENDER ASSISTANTS
BARTENDERS
The state minimum wage is $7.25, but the
tipped minimum wage is even lower at
only $3.63. Including tips, tipped workers
in Maryland earn a median wage of only
$8.75 equivalent to $18,200 for a full-
time year-round employee. However, tipped
workers generally are allowed part-time
schedules that vary by season. Seven states
have eliminated the tipped minimum wage
in those states tipped workers receive the
full minimum wage. Higher wages reduce
turnover and pour millions of dollars back
into the local economy.
The Rising American Electorate refers to the
demographic groups that are growing the
most rapidly, historically with lower voter
participation rates, but whose growing civic
engagement has been crucial in tipping the
scales in recent elections. Tipped workers
are primarily women, close to 40% are
moms, and although many are married,
half of these are single moms. Although the
median age for tipped workers is 32, half of
them are younger. And they are racially diverse,
overrepresented by Latinos, Asians, and African
Americans compared to the broader workforce.
They are also a highly educated group.
Tipped workers are a snapshot of the RAE.
TIPPED WORKERS AND THE RISING AMERICAN ELECTORATE
MARYL AND
THE STATE
OF TIPPED
WORKERS
In Maryland there are 100,000 tipped workers,
and 60% of these work in the restaurant
industry. The restaurant industry employs
nearly 10% of the workforce and is one of
the fastest growing sectors of the economy.
Unfortunately, the restaurant industry offers
several of Marylands lowest paid jobs.
Five of the ten lowest paid occupations
are in the restaurant industry, and three
of these are tipped occupations.
3 LOWEST PAID
TIPPED OCCUPATIONS
TIPPED
MINIMUM WAGE
$3.63
MINIMUM WAGE
$7.25
MEDIAN WAGE FOR
TIPPED WORKERS
INCLUDING TIPS
$8.75
GENDER
67%
3
3
%
www.rocunited.org
TIPPED WORKERS WHO
WORK IN RESTAURANTS
60%
Restaurant Opportunities Centers United
In states with a tipped minimum wage of $2.13,
the poverty rates for workers of color is nearly
double that of the seven states without a tipped
minimum wage, with one in four living in poverty.
WHITE PEOPLE OF COLOR ALL
POVERTY RATES IN $2.13 STATES
16% 25% 20%
POVERTY RATES IN STATES WITH NO TIP CREDIT
13% 14% 14%
TIPPED WORKERS AND THE RISING AMERICAN ELECTORATE
White 54%
Black 27%
Asian 10%
Latino 8%
Other 1%
<_
24 34%
25-34 21%
35-44 19%
45+ 26%
RACE
AGE
HIGHER EDUCATION
EDUCATION
PARENTS WITH CHILDREN
ON FREE LUNCHES
41%
MARITAL &
PARENTAL
STATUS
40
%
Married 32%
Parents 30%
Dads 21%
Moms 35%
Single Moms 14%
P
O
V
E
R
T
Y
TIPPED RESTAURANT WORKERS
live in POVERTY at 3X the rate
of the U.S. workforce.
RAISE THE MINIMUM WAGE
Living off tips is precarious, but it doesnt have
to be this way. Raising the minimum wage and
eliminating the tipped credit would provide
a signicant stimulus to the U.S. economy in
tipped wages alone, providing a boost to local
economies and the broader food industry, as well.
FOR MORE INFO rocunited.org/stateoftippedworkers/
The industry projects employment will continue
to grow at the rate of 7% over the next decade.
H
INDUSTRY PROJECTED SALES 2014

10.6 BILLION
B
I
L
L
I
O
N
I
N
D
U
S
T
R
Y

G
R
O
W
T
H
53%
P
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V
E
R
TY
R
A
T
E
P
O
V
E
R
TY
R
A
T
E
T
I
P
P
E
D

R
E
S
T
A
URA
N
T

W
O
R
K
E
R
S
T
I
P
P
E
D

WO
R
K
E
R
S
13
%
12
%
WORKERS ON
FOOD STAMPS
2X REST OF U.S.
WORKFORCE
15%
32
MEDIAN AGE
of tipped
worker moms
are single moms
MINIMIM
WAGE
$10.10
$12.00
$15.00
TIPPED
STIMULUS
$12.7
$19.4
$30.1