Rights of Hospitality Workers

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The Immigrant Justice Project, a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), is a legal initiative that defends labor rights and civil rights in the Southeastern United States. It has extensive experience in this field, and has ample resources to use in confronting injustice.

We are here to support you. Our services are completely free. Call us with questions about your rights as a worker or if you are mistreated by the police or any other government official or agency.

If you have questions about your rights, please call us free at 1-800-591-3656

Rights of Hospitality Workers

• All workers have the right to receive, at a minimum, an average of $7.25 for every hour worked in a week, even if you are paid piece-rate (for example, if you are paid by the room).

• If you are a tipped employee, your cash wage must be at least $2.13 per hour. The sum of your cash wage and your tips must equal $7.25 per hour, the minimum wage.

• Your employer must pay you for any “off the clock” work, for example morning meetings or the time it takes to stock your cart.

• Hospitality workers have the right to overtime pay. This means that your employer has to pay you time and a half for each hour worked over 40 hours in a week. If you are paid by the room, your overtime rate is based on your regular rate of pay (your hourly rate in that workweek).

• Write down your hours to know that you are receiving enough pay.

• Generally, if your employer deducts the cost of tools, uniforms, or equipment related to the job from your check you should still make $7.25 per hour after those deductions.

• Your employer cannot retaliate against you for standing up for your rights or for complaining about the minimum wage, discrimination, or other violations of your rights.

If you have questions about your rights, please call us free at 1-800-591-3656