Distinct minimum wage for employees earning substantial tips
The tipped wage is base wage paid to an employee in the United States who receives a substantial portion of their compensation from tips. According to a common labor law provision referred to as a "tip credit", the employee must earn at least the state's minimum wage when tips and wages are combined or the employer is required to increase the wage to fulfill that threshold.[1][2][3] This ensures that all tipped employees earn at least the minimum wage: significantly more than the tipped minimum wage.