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Tipped Employee Protection Act

HR 2312 · In progress · last action January 13, 2026

<p><strong>Tipped Employee Protection Act</strong></p><p>This bill modifies the definition of a <em>tipped employee</em> under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to exclude consideration of an employee's duties when determining if the employee is a tipped employee.&nbsp;</p><p>Under current law, tipped employees may be paid less than the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 an hour), but the total of their cash wage and tips must be at least equal to the federal minimum wage. Under the&nbsp;FLSA, a tipped employee is currently a worker who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips.</p><p>The bill broadens the definition of tipped employee to include&nbsp;any worker who receives tips and other cash wages for a work period at a rate that is at least the federal minimum wage, without regard to the duties of the employee.&nbsp;Under the bill, the work period is a work period that is determined by the employer.&nbsp;</p>

Sponsor

Steve Womack (R-AR)

Associated votes

No votes recorded against this bill yet — vote coverage is a work in progress.

Official summary

<p><strong>Tipped Employee Protection Act</strong></p><p>This bill modifies the definition of a <em>tipped employee</em> under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (FLSA) to exclude consideration of an employee's duties when determining if the employee is a tipped employee.&nbsp;</p><p>Under current law, tipped employees may be paid less than the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25 an hour), but the total of their cash wage and tips must be at least equal to the federal minimum wage. Under the&nbsp;FLSA, a tipped employee is currently a worker who customarily and regularly receives more than $30 a month in tips.</p><p>The bill broadens the definition of tipped employee to include&nbsp;any worker who receives tips and other cash wages for a work period at a rate that is at least the federal minimum wage, without regard to the duties of the employee.&nbsp;Under the bill, the work period is a work period that is determined by the employer.&nbsp;</p>