By Sophie Foster
Opinion Editor
This article was originally published in the Oct. 26, 2023 digital edition of The Elm.
Maryland’s Montgomery and Prince George’s counties are deeply embroiled in a debate that has been rising to public attention in recent years: that of the ethicality of the tipped minimum wage standard.
According to ABC 7, bills being debated by the counties’ leaders would call for all tipped employees to earn minimum wage in addition to their tips by 2028, monitored by quarterly wage reports from supervisors. In 2024, that wage is set to reach a $15 an hour minimum statewide.
Conflict arises, however, in the aspect of the bill that outlines a gradual decrease of tip credits for servers and bartenders until their base wage is the county’s minimum wage. Some of the employees in question took to the streets to vocalize their disagreement.
The Restaurant Association of Maryland, along with a number of restaurant and service industry employees, held a rally in Prince George’s County in opposition to the bill, causing the county to table it indefinitely, according to ABC 7. The association claimed meals would become inordinately expensive to cover labor costs that would increase significantly.
RAM also argued that the steady removal of tip credits for the county’s workers would reduce wages that could otherwise reach $27 an hour or more in favor of minimum wage. Additionally, the group reminded legislators that all restaurant employees are required under...
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