VANCOUVER — B.C. restaurant and bar operators have been barred from taking a share, or all, of workers’ tips, according to CBC News.
The B.C. government made changes to the Employment Standards Act amendments on April 29, making it illegal for employers to take any of the tips, except in cases where they’re performing the exact same job as the staff.
Eric Nordal, a bartender in Victoria who also works as project manager with the Retail Action Network — a non-profit organization that is involved in labour issues — welcomed the legislation amendments, saying it has increasingly become industry standard for employers to manage, or withhold, tip pools from workers.
While tip pooling will still be permitted in B.C., the legislation prohibits employers from deducting or withholding tips. Nordal and the Retail Action Network pushed for tip pools to be managed by staff, but the B.C. government opted to allow employers to continue to manage the distribution.
