Guides to your paycheck
How tips, overtime and deductions are supposed to work, written for people who just finished a shift.
How to read a pay stub: a line-by-line guide for restaurant workers
What every line on a restaurant pay stub means, what it should add up to, and what to compare against your own records.
8 minute readTip credit explained: how the tipped minimum wage works
How employers count tips toward minimum wage, when they have to make up the difference, and which states do not allow it at all.
8 minute readTip pool rules: can your employer take your tips?
Who is allowed in a tip pool, who never is, and what to check on your pay stub if you tip out.
7 minute readCan my employer deduct from my paycheck for uniforms, shortages or walkouts?
Which restaurant paycheck deductions are allowed, which are not, and why a $2.13 cash wage leaves no room for them.
7 minute readOvertime for tipped employees: how it is calculated and what to check
If you are paid a tipped cash wage, your overtime rate is not 1.5 times that wage. Here is the math, the states with daily overtime, and the stub lines to check.
8 minute readIs a service charge a tip? Automatic gratuity and your paycheck
A mandatory service charge is not a tip under federal law, even when it says "gratuity." Here is who it belongs to, how it should show on your stub, and where state law says otherwise.
6 minute readWhat to do if your paycheck is wrong: from asking payroll to filing a wage claim
Many paycheck mistakes get fixed with a clear written question to payroll. If they do not, you can file a wage claim with your state or the U.S. Department of Labor for free.
7 minute readDo tips count for Social Security? FICA on tips, explained
Tips you report to your employer are taxed for Social Security and Medicare just like wages, and they count toward your future benefits. Here is how it works and how to check your stub.
7 minute readTruWage for iPhone and Android is almost here
Scan a stub with your camera, keep a history of every check, and get a reminder on payday. Leave your email and you will get one message when it is out.