“It’s five o’clock somewhere!” a popular expression among adults after a long day or heading into a weekend. In America, globally for that matter, it is not uncommon for people to gather at local watering holes, aka a bar or pub, for happy hours, a quick drink and other social activities. To help business, many establishments have added themed nights like trivia night, dart tournaments, discount specials and more.
It is also known that good bartenders can make really good money in tips, especially on a busy night. This is where things can get tricky in the “tipping” industry. There are many jobs that pay minimum wage or even less and the rest of the income is tip based, therefore in order to make a decent living, one would rely heavily on tips. Keep in mind it is required by law that one claims all tips whether cash or via credit cards when you ‘clock out’ at the end of the day or night.
It is likely you know of someone that has ‘pocketed’ some of those tips without claiming them as income to avoid paying taxes. Yes, it is illegal, however it still happens. What people may not realize as a successful bartender or any tip related professional is that if they do not fully claim their wages and a work injury occurs there is no way to get appropriate wage loss benefits you should be earning.
Granted, one might not think bartending is a dangerous or high risk of injury job, but accidents do happen. Especially when you step back and look at the potential risk factors as a bartender it is not so glamorous avoiding those wet floors, broken glass, unruly patrons and more. Remember, no one plans for a work injury but if it happens you want to be protected.
Remember to tip your bartender – they count on it!
