The Michigan State Supreme Court ruling last week giving Michigan restaurant servers and related workers an increase in their minimum wage is a good thing, according the State Representative Joey Andrews. Starting Feb. 25, tipped workers must be paid the same as everyone else, and the minimum wage will rise above $12 an hour.
“I think it’s a good change. People can’t afford to live on a minimum wage right now. My hope is that the conversation this is triggering gives us the opportunity to look at this holistically and make these adjustments now.”
Using a phased-in approach, restaurant employees will start to see their minimum wage increase from its current $3.93 per hour to the full Michigan minimum wage by the year 2029. Currently, restaurant workers are paid the lower minimum wage because tips make up the difference and more, in many cases. Michigan’s minimum wage for non-tipped occupations is $10.33 per hour.
Tipped workers will make 48% of the adopted minimum hourly wage and will increase to 60% of the minimum hourly wage by 2026.
Andrews recognizes this could be a disadvantage to those who depend on the higher wages when tips are factored in and said his office will continue to work to make all parties satisfied.
“We also want to work with our restaurants in the state and the servers and hospitality staff to make sure we come up with a solution that works for everyone. This is an opportunity to figure out how to make this system work and maybe hold bad actors accountable and find something good.”
The court’s decision is said to impact nearly 500,000 Michigan workers.
