H.R. 1612 — Tipped Employee Protection Act

This bill modifies the definition of a tipped employee under the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to exclude consideration of an employee's duties when determining the combined amount of tips and direct wages an employee receives for the purpose of an employer meeting the minimum wage requirements. Under the bill, an employer may pay a tipped employee the tipped minimum wage for tasks that are not related to tipped work as long as the employee's combined tips and direct wages total at least the $7.25 federal minimum wage. Current Department of Labor rules prohibit an employer from paying the tipped minimum wage for tasks that are not related to tipped work.