§ 531.56 “More than $30 a month in tips.”

(a) In general. An employee who receives tips, within the meaning of the Act, is a “tipped employee” under the definition in section 3(t) when, in the occupation in which he is engaged, the amounts he receives as tips customarily and regularly total “more than $30 a month.” An employee employed in an occupation in which the tips he or she receives meet the minimum standard in the preceding sentence is a “tipped employee” for whom the wage credit provided by section 3(m)(2)(A) may be taken in computing the compensation due him or her under the Act for employment in such occupation, whether he or she is employed in it full time or part time. An employee employed full time or part time in an occupation in which he or she does not receive more than $30 a month in tips customarily and regularly is not a “tipped employee” within the meaning of the Act and must receive the full compensation required by the provisions of the Act in cash or allowable facilities without any deduction for tips received under the provisions of section 3(m)(2)(A).

(b) Month. The definition of tipped employee does not require that the calendar month be used in determining whether more than $30 a month is customarily and regularly received as tips. Any appropriate recurring monthly period beginning on the same day of the calendar month may be used.

(c) Individual tip receipts are controlling. An employee must him- or herself customarily and regularly receive more than $30 a month in tips in order to qualify as a tipped employee. The fact that he or she is part of a group which has a record of receiving more than $30 a month in tips will not qualify him or her. For example, a server who is newly hired will not be considered a tipped employee merely because the other servers in the establishment receive tips in the requisite amount. For the method of applying the test in initial and terminal months of employment, see § 531.58.

(d) Significance of minimum monthly tip receipts. More than $30 a month in tips customarily and regularly received by the employee is a minimum standard that must be met before any wage credit for tips is determined under section 3(m)(2)(A). It does not govern or limit the determination of the appropriate amount of wage credit under section 3(m)(2)(A) that may be taken for tips under section 6(a)(1) (tip credit equals the difference between the minimum wage required by section 6(a)(1) and the cash wage paid (at least $2.13 per hour)).