UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — After hearing concerns from several restaurant workers, the Prince George's County Council Committee has voted to indefinitely table the Tipped Wage bill.
In a meeting Thursday evening, the County Council voted to hold the bill after hearing concerns from restaurant workers.
“People come and they sleep on servers,” said one tipped worker who addressed the crowd. “Oh servers don’t make no money. Servers don’t do this. Servers don’t do that. Like I said I’ve been a server for eight years and I’ve been able to do a lot of things, with my tips.”
If Council Bill 098 (CB-098) had passed, it would have amended the law governing the minimum wage for a tipped employee working in Prince George's County and employers would be required to submit quarterly wage reports.
The legislation aimed to require all tipped employees working in the county be paid minimum wage in addition to any tips by 2028. The bill was proposed and sponsored by more than half of the council members, including Edward P. Burroughs, Krystal Oriadha, Wala Blegay, Calvin S. Hawkins, Ingrid S. Watson, Sydney J. Harrison.
As of Jan. 1, 2023, Maryland's minimum wage increased from $12.50 to $13.25 an hour. Currently, the rate for tipped workers in Maryland is $3.63.
In Montgomery County, there will be another public hearing on a similar bill on Tuesday, introduced by Councilmember Will Jawando. The Maryland state legislature voted down a state-wide tipped minimum wage increase earlier this year.
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