Grrrrrr......

Dieselsmama · 01-21-2008, 10:36 AM

I just found out my boss, where I groom, has been plugging my tips into the computer and counting them as my grooming income and therefore taking 50% of them!!! I'm so incredibly irritated. Unless someone has actually given me cash and handed it to me the accountant I spoke with said it's counted as grooming and plugged into the computer. Now if someone does this on a credit card I can understand it going on the computer, but if it's cash WTF!!! Anyone else heard of such a thing?? We are going to have a little discussion about this today I can tell ya. Our agreement was a comission based one for grooming. My opinion is when someone tips, that's a gratuity that should come directly to me.

Shanette Peters · 01-21-2008, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dieselsmama

I just found out my boss, where I groom, has been plugging my tips into the computer and counting them as my grooming income and therefore taking 50% of them!!! I'm so incredibly irritated. Unless someone has actually given me cash and handed it to me the accountant I spoke with said it's counted as grooming and plugged into the computer. Now if someone does this on a credit card I can understand it going on the computer, but if it's cash WTF!!! Anyone else heard of such a thing?? We are going to have a little discussion about this today I can tell ya. Our agreement was a comission based one for grooming. My opinion is when someone tips, that's a gratuity that should come directly to me.

I completely agree with you. Where do you work?(store/location) Is this a private salon or big chain? In fact when I worked at a petsmart grooming salon, we had tip jars for each individual groomer, if someone gave a tip via credit card or debit, that excess amount was taken out of the till and given to the groomer because the only amount the store would keep was the cost of the groom(then pay the groomer by commission) and if the owner tipped with credit or debit the amount was then already in the 'company's account' so the tip amount was given from the company to the groomer either that day, or tallied up and added on to the pay check under it's own area 'gratuity'. Funny thing is now that I work at home on my own, any tips I recieve for the dogs I groom I put that little extra into my kids savings or into saving for more grooming supplies. Hope it all works out for you. Good Luck!

ChrissyBz · 01-21-2008, 03:31 PM

I have a restaurant so I'm very familiar with the tipping dilemma. Our waitresses keep all their own tips. We pay the kitchen staff more to make up for the lack of tips. Our waitresses are all expected to clean their own tables so bussing isn't an issue. If it's crazy busy we encourage them to share with whoever helps them out but we don't require it. If we do large groups buffet style we take the tips and share them out with whoever did the serving and with the kitchen staff. If I did a lot of the work I include myself in the split too.

What you're describing sounds dishonest to me. I'd be upset too.

Our maid keeps all tips given to her exclusively. If they give them to us we give them to her. If we take money at the till for one of our servers we give the tip directly to them .

briteday · 01-21-2008, 03:54 PM

I live in a gambling state where it is mandated that tips (in a casino) be placed into a central container. They are then split among everyone on the floor that day, into their paychecks, and taxed. They passed this law (I believe it is law, not sure) because workers complained that the IRS was estimating their tips too high, since we all know that they do receive regular tips. In fact most of their income is tips, or has been in the past. Now everyone gets the short end. If you have someone on the floor that day who is not pulling their weight, you still have to split with them.

I have never worked in the gaming industry but because of that rule I have begun to observe and ask anyone providing service for me how best to tip them. For instance, the gal that cuts my hair is required to send everyone to the register for check out/payment. So adding a tip into the fee for sevice will also get taxed. Therefore, I quietly slip her a cash tip, put cash in her smock pocket, or leave it under a flyer or such on her table. For some things like the newspaper person, I make a check out directly to them and hand it to them vs. adding a tip to my monthly bill at the end of the year. And my groomer prefers a gift certificate to her favorite mail order.

I guess your situation reminds those of us who tip that sometimes it is taxed. And for those working in fields where tipping is common, that they need to really have a clear understanding of how the management handles tips.

Annamarie · 01-21-2008, 04:01 PM

legally tips are taxable income. it sucks, but it's true

Shanette Peters · 01-21-2008, 04:07 PM

Where do you all live where tips are taxed? I'm in Canada (Alberta) and so far I have never heard of that being law. Could it be depending on the 'laws' where you live? US/Canada.. etc?

Annamarie · 01-21-2008, 05:02 PM

in canada it's the same. tips are taxable income.

ChrissyBz · 01-21-2008, 05:38 PM

I have no idea what the laws are here but the girls don't declare them and I won't be forced to make them if they ever try.

justagirl21 · 01-21-2008, 06:55 PM

I have GOT to move the the USA to groom as here in Aust (and I don't want to say bad things about this country but..) when I groom the Dogs owner pays 100% of the groom price to my Boss, then I -as the groomer- will recieve LESS than 50% of that money and we don't get tips. I'd be happy to be in your position as if I got what you get payed PLUS tips I'd be one happy groomer