NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A state senator from Memphis wants to change Tennessee's wage laws to give any employee that receives tips basic minimum wage as the standard.
Sen. Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) introduced SB1851 on Friday. The bill would change salary and benefit laws in Tennessee to pay any employee who receives tips at least $7.25 an hour in addition to any tips they receive.
Currently, the base minimum wage for tipped employees in Tennessee is $2.13 an hour plus average tips that must equal at least $7.25. Workers that receive less than $30 a month regularly in tips are not considered tipped workers.
The bill is one of a few others introduced this session proposing changes to Tennessee wage laws.