Manager is sharing the tip sheet with everyone and I am surprised
I work for a hotel. I work at the buffet section and yeah nobody tips there. We get a small gratuity because of the amenity fee that the guests pay for. However there is a restaurant and I've always noticed none of the employees there wanted to work in our section.
For some reason the manager started sharing the tip sheet for the whole food and beverage department. I couldn't believe how much the people make there.
Just for one week...
The min one busser made was $695 and the busser with the max amount of tips was $1011.
The mindset one server made $1200 and one server made as much as $2500.
That blows my mind. The restaurant isn't super expensive, most of their main dishes are like $15-$20 but they are tiny and I guess people order a lot. The cocktails are $18-$20. These people make $22 an hour + those tips. Compared to my section where it has a lot of work to clean and set up, these people do less for so much more.
Jobadvisor
It is perfectly understandable that you are feeling surprised, and perhaps a little disheartened, after seeing those tip numbers. Discovering that colleagues in a seemingly similar department are earning significantly more, especially when you perceive their work to be less physically demanding, is a naturally frustrating experience.
Your reaction highlights a very common, yet often invisible, dynamic within the hospitality industry: the significant disparity between tipped and non-tipped (or low-tipped) roles.
Here’s a breakdown of why this situation is unfolding and how you can navigate it.
1. Understanding the Anatomy of a Tipped Position
The core difference between your buffet section and the restaurant is the customer service model and the resulting tipping structure.
The Buffet Model: Buffets are designed for speed and self-service. The guest does most of the "work" (getting their food). While your role (clearing, resetting, ensuring cleanliness) is critical, it's often less "visible" to the guest, and there are fewer touchpoints for direct service. As a result, direct tips are extremely rare. The gratuity you receive via the amenity fee is a way to bridge this gap, but as you’ve seen, it often doesn't compete with direct tips in a busy setting.
The Restaurant Model: In a full-service restaurant, the server and busser are central to the guest's experience for the entire meal. There are constant touchpoints: taking orders, answering questions, delivering multiple courses, refilling drinks, clearing plates, and processing the bill. The gratuity is explicitly tied to the perceived quality of this sustained service.
The Psychology of the Bill: While main dishes might be $15-$20, the cocktails ($18-$20) are the real game-changers. Alcohol has a high-profit margin and significantly drives up the final check. A party of four ordering four cocktails, an appetizer, four mains, and two desserts can easily have a bill of $250. A standard 18-20% tip on that single table is $45-$50.
2. Acknowledging the Workload Reality
Your observation that your job involves a lot of "cleaning and set up" is valid. Buffets can be physically grueling, requiring constant movement and heavy lifting. You are absolutely right that you work hard.
However, the nature of the "work" is different. The restaurant staff’s workload is:
High-Stakes Multi-Tasking: A server might be managing five tables at once, all at different stages of their meal, while remembering complex orders, special requests, and dietary restrictions.
Emotional Labor: They must maintain a high-energy, positive persona, navigate demanding customers, and upsell products, all while under time pressure.
Volatile and Unpredictable: Their income is entirely dependent on how busy the restaurant is. If it’s slow, they can make very little money, sometimes below minimum wage (though they are paid $22/hour in this case, which is an excellent base rate for a tipped role).
The disparity isn’t necessarily that they do less work, but rather that the market valuates direct guest-facing service much higher than operational support roles.
3. Why Did the Manager Share the Sheet?
This is the most intriguing part of your story. Why did the manager decide to make this information transparent now?
Motivation and Competition: The most likely reason is to light a fire under the entire team. Showing the high earning potential in the restaurant may be an attempt to motivate buffet staff to provide "restaurant-level" service (if possible) or to encourage top performers to strive for a transfer to the restaurant.
Transparency and Fairness: A less likely but possible reason is that they are moving toward a more transparent operation and want to reduce speculation and gossip about pay.
Retention Strategy: They might be trying to retain ambitious employees by showing them a clear, high-paying career path within the hotel.
4. What Should You Do Now?
Now that you have this information, you have three clear options:
A. Use It as Motivation to Transfer:
This is the most productive path if you want to increase your income.
Excel in Your Current Role: Become the absolute best buffet attendant. Show up early, be proactive, and maintain an immaculate section.
Express Interest: Schedule a meeting with your manager. Tell them you were impressed by the earning potential shown on the tip sheet and that you are interested in a server or busser position in the restaurant.
Ask for a Development Plan: Ask your manager, "What skills or experience do I need to gain to be a strong candidate for a transfer? Could I shadow a server or busser on my day off?"
Understand it’s Not Automatic: Restaurant roles are coveted. There will be competition. You need to prove you have the personality, memory, and multi-tasking skills required.
B. Focus on Your Unique Advantages:
If you prefer stability and a predictable routine, your current role has benefits.
Predictable Income: You know exactly what your paycheck will be every week (minus the small gratuity fluctuation). This is invaluable for budgeting and financial planning. Restaurant staff cannot say the same.
Lower Emotional Stress: While physically demanding, your role doesn't require the same level of intense emotional labor and "acting" required in direct service.
Set Schedule: Buffets often have more predictable, set shifts, which can be better for work-life balance.
C. Do Nothing and Maintain Status Quo:
This is also an option. If you generally like your job and your coworkers, and your current income meets your needs, you can choose to accept the industry standard and focus on being content.
Conclusion
Your surprise is completely warranted. The numbers are shocking when compared to non-tipped wages. This is a classic example of how hospitality "gratuity" economics can create vast income differences between hardworking individuals.
The information you now possess is powerful. It gives you a clear understanding of the professional and financial options available to you within your own hotel. The choice of how to use that information is now entirely yours.
I hate the 20% rule
Growing up in the states, you are conditioned to think 20% is the standard for tipping. As an adult, I’m thankful to be able to eat at both standard mom and pop shop restaurants and high end from time to time. Going to high end restaurants, you can get a meal for $100 for 2 people and the tip is $20 or you can spend $200 and the tip is $40 for just picking different items. While most times the staff is friendly, they are pretty laid back and not running around. Yes I know other places can be $300 or $400 for a date, I was just speaking on my normal costs when for my city.
Then you go to some smaller places and the staff is extremely attentive, moving quickly to make sure their customers are happy, the bill comes and it’s $30 or so and the standard is $6 yet I feel like those workers deserve more than most fancy places.
Jobadvisor:
I hear you, and honestly, you aren’t alone in that frustration. It’s one of those "unspoken" social contracts that feels increasingly disconnected from actual effort.
The logic of tipping is inherently flawed because it rewards the price of the ingredient, not the quality of the service. Carrying a plate of $80 Wagyu takes the same physical effort as carrying a plate of $15 pancakes, yet the "standard" expectation tells you one is worth five times more in labor.
The Great Tip Disconnect
Here is why that 20% rule feels so backwards in the scenarios you described:
The "Luxury" Tax: At high-end spots, you aren’t just tipping for the service; you’re effectively paying a percentage-based tax on the atmosphere and the brand. As you noted, the pace is often slower and more "laid back," yet the payout is massive.
The "Hustle" Deficit: At the mom-and-pop shops, the margins are thin and the volume is high. Those servers are often doing triple the physical steps for a fraction of the reward.
The Entitlement Shift: There’s a psychological shift happening where 20% has moved from "excellent service" to "the bare minimum to avoid being a jerk," which removes the incentive for actually great service.
How People are "Quietly" Rebelling
Many people have started moving away from the rigid percentage model to a more value-based approach:
| Tip Style | The Logic |
| The "Flat Rate" Cap | Deciding that no matter how expensive the wine is, the service for a 2-hour dinner is worth, say, $50 max. |
| The "Redistribution" | Tipping 15% at the fancy place (where the base pay is often higher and the bill is large) and 30-40% at the local diner where the staff is grinding. |
| The Service Scale | Strictly returning to 10-15% for "standard" service and only hitting 20%+ when the experience was actually transformative. |
A quick reality check: While the system is frustrating, remember that in the U.S., many "tipped" employees still have a sub-minimum base wage. However, that doesn't mean the math makes sense for the consumer.
It sounds like you’re someone who values effort over prestige, which is a much more grounded way to look at it.
Resigning to Leave Abusive Marriage
The abuse is escalating enough that I need to leave. I don’t have friends or family nearby (typical abuser who isolated me) and I’ll need to go to a shelter to ensure safety.
I don’t want to ask for accommodations at work because once I get on my feet, I plan to move very far away.
How should I handle this, not knowing exactly when I’m going to leave but that I likely can’t give a 2 weeks notice. I’m an “outside sales rep” at a very large company.
Jobadvisor:
I am so sorry you are going through this, but I want to validate your decision: Leaving is the most important project you will ever manage. Your safety is the only metric that matters right now.
Because you are an outside sales rep at a large company, you actually have a few strategic advantages (flexibility and autonomy) that you can use to your benefit.
1. Prioritize "The Great Disappearing Act"
In high-risk situations, a two-week notice is a luxury you cannot afford. Most large companies have seen this before. They have protocols for immediate departures, even if they don't publicize them.
The "Immediate Resignation": When you are safe at the shelter, send an email to your manager and HR simultaneously. State: "Effective immediately, I am resigning from my position due to urgent and unforeseen personal circumstances. I am unable to provide a notice period."
The Logistics: Since you are an outside rep, you likely have a company car, laptop, or tablet. In your resignation, tell them exactly where those items are (e.g., "The company vehicle and equipment are parked at [Safe Public Location/Police Station] and the keys are with [Officer Name/Front Desk].") Do not return them to the office in person.
2. Safeguard Your Assets Now
Before you resign or leave, you need to "quietly" gather what you need while you still have the job.
Commission & Expenses: Submit every single pending expense report today. If you have commissions owed, document the sales in a personal file (not on a work device) so you can ensure you are paid correctly after you leave.
The Paper Trail: Large companies often have EAPs (Employee Assistance Programs).
Even if you don't want to ask for accommodations, calling the EAP is confidential. They can often provide free legal advice or emergency financial resources that aren't tied to your "performance" at work.
3. Use Your "Outside Sales" Cover
Your role allows you to be out of the house without raising suspicion.
The Staging: Use your "sales calls" time to move small essentials to a storage unit or a friend's place if you have one, or even to the shelter if they allow early drop-offs of belongings.
The "Office" Alibi: If your abuser tracks your location via your phone, and it’s a company phone, remember that they can see where you are. If you leave, leave the company phone behind or factory reset it if it’s also your personal one.
Critical Safety Resources
Since you are at a large company, check if your state has Safe at Home laws. Some states allow you to use a substitute address for mail (including your final paycheck) so your abuser cannot find your new location through payroll records.
| Resource | Contact Info |
| National Domestic Violence Hotline | Call 800-799-7233 or Text "START" to 88788 |
| Workplace Privacy | Ask HR for a "Confidential Resignation" due to safety. |
Employee claims to have worked overtime hours even though their time sheets don't reflect it [PA]
Not sure where else to post this. I'm a manager in the US, in healthcare, specifically mental health. We have a variety of employees of different job titles. Some work hourly, some salary. Some are on-site, some hybrid, and some fully remote. One of our newer younger remote hires (hourly, non-exempt) claims to have worked dozens of overtime hours over the past month up until last week. It was obviously unauthorized but she assumed it was authorized because she had access to online tasks past her working hours. The employees aren't responsible for entering their hours as it's supposed to be a strictly set amount of hours (hence the lock out) unless approved by me or HR. Our online employee portal for hourly remote workers is supposed to be automatically locked out after a certain time of day so I'm not sure how she supposedly had access.
Here's the confusing part. She claims she worked overtime to help with bills even though her time card says she worked the regular hours. That being said, she told me she took pictures, screenshots, and a few brief videos of her in the portal working after hours and has copies of them. She also told me she keeps a diary of how she's doing including with work and says a lot of the recent written pages in her personal diary mention her being tired from working (X) amount of hours on (X) days. I'm not sure if she's lying about that or not because her time cards only show the 8 hours per day. I'm trying to get this settled as peacefully as possible but the more I question her, the more upset she's getting. Even if she has screenshots, videos, and written personal diary notes, what if they're photoshopped or AI? Or written falsely? How do we know they're authentic?
She also told me her husband would check on her late at night because of how much she was supposedly working. She's saying he saw her working through the portal on her laptop when he briefly checked in on her. I informed HR and we're trying to decide what course of action to take. She will be disciplined yes, but what I mean is whether or not to pay her for these hours she's claiming. What would you do in this situation? We've already reached out to IT to look into it as well. We have to figure out what to do soon as she's supposed to get her next pay deposit in less than two weeks.
Jobadvisor:
This is a high-stakes situation, but from a US labor law perspective—specifically under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)—the path is actually quite narrow. While your frustration is completely valid (especially regarding the "locked" portal failing), Pennsylvania and federal laws are very protective of the employee's time, even if that time was unauthorized.
Here is a breakdown of how to navigate this without landing the company in a legal minefield.
Not sure where else to post this. I'm a manager in the US, in healthcare, specifically mental health. We have a variety of employees of different job titles. Some work hourly, some salary. Some are on-site, some hybrid, and some fully remote. One of our newer younger remote hires (hourly, non-exempt) claims to have worked dozens of overtime hours over the past month up until last week. It was obviously unauthorized but she assumed it was authorized because she had access to online tasks past her working hours. The employees aren't responsible for entering their hours as it's supposed to be a strictly set amount of hours (hence the lock out) unless approved by me or HR. Our online employee portal for hourly remote workers is supposed to be automatically locked out after a certain time of day so I'm not sure how she supposedly had access.
Here's the confusing part. She claims she worked overtime to help with bills even though her time card says she worked the regular hours. That being said, she told me she took pictures, screenshots, and a few brief videos of her in the portal working after hours and has copies of them. She also told me she keeps a diary of how she's doing including with work and says a lot of the recent written pages in her personal diary mention her being tired from working (X) amount of hours on (X) days. I'm not sure if she's lying about that or not because her time cards only show the 8 hours per day. I'm trying to get this settled as peacefully as possible but the more I question her, the more upset she's getting. Even if she has screenshots, videos, and written personal diary notes, what if they're photoshopped or AI? Or written falsely? How do we know they're authentic?
She also told me her husband would check on her late at night because of how much she was supposedly working. She's saying he saw her working through the portal on her laptop when he briefly checked in on her. I informed HR and we're trying to decide what course of action to take. She will be disciplined yes, but what I mean is whether or not to pay her for these hours she's claiming. What would you do in this situation? We've already reached out to IT to look into it as well. We have to figure out what to do soon as she's supposed to get her next pay deposit in less than two weeks.
Jobadvisor:
This is a high-stakes situation, but from a US labor law perspective—specifically under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)—the path is actually quite narrow. While your frustration is completely valid (especially regarding the "locked" portal failing), Pennsylvania and federal laws are very protective of the employee's time, even if that time was unauthorized.
Here is a breakdown of how to navigate this without landing the company in a legal minefield.
1. The Golden Rule of FLSA: "Suffer or Permit"
Under federal law, if an employer knows or has reason to believe that work is being performed, they must pay for it.
The "Unauthorized" Defense: This rarely holds up. You can discipline an employee for working unauthorized overtime (up to and including termination), but you cannot withhold pay for hours actually worked.
The Portal Failure: If the portal was supposed to lock her out but didn't, and she performed work, the company "suffered or permitted" that work.
Under federal law, if an employer knows or has reason to believe that work is being performed, they must pay for it.
The "Unauthorized" Defense: This rarely holds up. You can discipline an employee for working unauthorized overtime (up to and including termination), but you cannot withhold pay for hours actually worked.
The Portal Failure: If the portal was supposed to lock her out but didn't, and she performed work, the company "suffered or permitted" that work.
2. Evaluating the Evidence
You mentioned concerns about AI or photoshopped screenshots. While skepticism is natural, consider the "Preponderance of Evidence":
IT Logs: This is your "smoking gun." IT should be able to pull login/logout timestamps, keystroke activity, or data entry logs. If the logs show she was active at 11:00 PM, her screenshots are likely legitimate.
The Diary & Husband: While a diary is "self-serving," courts often find contemporaneous notes (written at the time of the event) to be credible evidence in wage theft cases.
The Disconnect: The reason her timesheet shows exactly 8 hours is likely because it is automated. If the system is hard-coded to report 8 hours regardless of actual activity, the timesheet loses its status as an "accurate record" in a legal dispute.
You mentioned concerns about AI or photoshopped screenshots. While skepticism is natural, consider the "Preponderance of Evidence":
IT Logs: This is your "smoking gun." IT should be able to pull login/logout timestamps, keystroke activity, or data entry logs. If the logs show she was active at 11:00 PM, her screenshots are likely legitimate.
The Diary & Husband: While a diary is "self-serving," courts often find contemporaneous notes (written at the time of the event) to be credible evidence in wage theft cases.
The Disconnect: The reason her timesheet shows exactly 8 hours is likely because it is automated. If the system is hard-coded to report 8 hours regardless of actual activity, the timesheet loses its status as an "accurate record" in a legal dispute.
3. Recommended Course of Action
To settle this peacefully and legally, you should separate the Payment from the Conduct.
To settle this peacefully and legally, you should separate the Payment from the Conduct.
Phase A: The Investigation
Wait for IT: Do not make a final decision until IT confirms whether there was server activity during the hours she claimed.
Review the Work: Did the "online tasks" she claim to have done actually get completed? Check timestamps on saved files, emails sent, or clinical notes entered.
Wait for IT: Do not make a final decision until IT confirms whether there was server activity during the hours she claimed.
Review the Work: Did the "online tasks" she claim to have done actually get completed? Check timestamps on saved files, emails sent, or clinical notes entered.
Phase B: The Payoff
Pay the undisputed hours: If IT logs confirm she was logged in and working, you must pay her. It is significantly cheaper to pay for 20 hours of overtime now than to pay for those hours plus liquidated damages (double pay) and her attorney fees later.
Pay the undisputed hours: If IT logs confirm she was logged in and working, you must pay her. It is significantly cheaper to pay for 20 hours of overtime now than to pay for those hours plus liquidated damages (double pay) and her attorney fees later.
Phase C: The Discipline
Formal Warning: Issue a written warning for violating company policy regarding unauthorized overtime.
Policy Clarification: Since she is new/young, she may have genuinely misunderstood the "access equals permission" concept. Use this as a coaching moment or a final warning depending on your handbook.
Formal Warning: Issue a written warning for violating company policy regarding unauthorized overtime.
Policy Clarification: Since she is new/young, she may have genuinely misunderstood the "access equals permission" concept. Use this as a coaching moment or a final warning depending on your handbook.
Comparison of Risks
Action Legal Risk Financial Risk Withhold Pay High. Likely violation of FLSA and PA Wage Payment/Collection Law. High. Fines, back pay, and legal fees. Pay & Discipline Low. You followed the law while enforcing company policy. Moderate. Cost of the overtime hours. Ignore Claims Very High. Creates a hostile environment and a clear path for a lawsuit. Highest.
| Action | Legal Risk | Financial Risk |
| Withhold Pay | High. Likely violation of FLSA and PA Wage Payment/Collection Law. | High. Fines, back pay, and legal fees. |
| Pay & Discipline | Low. You followed the law while enforcing company policy. | Moderate. Cost of the overtime hours. |
| Ignore Claims | Very High. Creates a hostile environment and a clear path for a lawsuit. | Highest. |
Summary
In the eyes of the Department of Labor, the burden of maintaining accurate time records falls on the employer, not the employee. If your system allowed her in, and she did work, she has a very strong claim.
In the eyes of the Department of Labor, the burden of maintaining accurate time records falls on the employer, not the employee. If your system allowed her in, and she did work, she has a very strong claim.