Why do service workers in Australia not accept tips?

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tamara m

tips are buit into the wages here. it is only people from overseas who actually know what to do when offered a tip- native born Australians have no idea what to do so will generally refuse them just to be on the safe side.

minimum wage here is a lot higher than in America, $12 an hour is considered extremely low and is considered a starter job for a school leaver, my fiance won't even consider a job that pays less than $20 an hour as an emergency job, in his field the average is from $22 to $30 an hour.

I Live In Paradise

its not like Australians who work in the service area all reject tips but generally they are not even offered tips

some accept and some dont

taxi drivers will accept tips all the time

its mostly in the USA where the tips are to help increase there minimum wage

tuppenybitz

australians are paid proper wages so tipping is not needed

Mel

Our minimum wage is over $14 for anyone over 21. A 15 year old might earn $7 an hour but unlikely.

Most wait staff are employed as casual so get extra. Most would be only around $20 an hour as a starting rate.

It is also against our custom to accept tips, some employers have actually banned tips.

Here is a question I have answered before on tipping in Australia - http://au.answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnqL00HJ5wBsP2c1bCYQ6Ufh5gt.;_ylv=3?qid=20080218163700AA8zGQR

Catherine

Because its not part of our culture to give tips :) Workers get paid enough and don't really need tips...

I have no idea how to tip people.. I only say "keep the change" if its no more than $5 if a pizza is delivered.

Future Eagles Mummy!!

It is not that they don't accept them, it is just that it is not expected here. And you are right when you say it is because we have a fairly good minimum wage system so tipping is not necessary. I also think most places, if they receive tips, the money gets put in a group tip jar and then divided equally amongst the staff every now and then.

I was living in sydney just after the Olympics and most of the restaurants we went to in that time had adjusted their receipts to include a place for tips! We only ever tipped if the staff went way beyond the call!!

zafir

Hospitality workers in Australia receive a living wage and are not reliant on tips to keep them alive. Therefore tipping is not part of the Australian culture, We just don't understand it.

It's OK to leave a little change on the table when leaving a restaurant, or add a dollar or two for good service in hotels, taxis, etc, but it's certainly not expected.

However, I am surprised that you found employees were not allowed to accept tips. Employers do not have the right to stop this.

archfield1

Waiters in the US don't get the full minimum wage, they get $2.13 an hour base.

scat

From what I understand - when it comes to income tax in the US, if you work in a service industry they tax you on the amount of tips you recieve. In Australia, there is no allowance for this - tips would be seen as tax-free (hence illegal) income. The tax office has no way to tax this money.

In Restaurants there is no policy regarding tips (because of the above) so owners are within their rights - to confiscate (or donate to a cause) any tips received.

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