N.S. bill takes aim at 'tip theft'

In the service industry, there’s something known as tip theft.

“Tip theft is the practice of employers stealing people’s tips that are meant for employees,” says Sydney Blum of the Worker’s Action Centre (WAC).

It might not be a well-known thing, but according to WAC, the practice of business owners taking a portion of their employees’ tips is quiet common.

“The WAC surveyed workers and we came back saying that 73 per cent of people had some kind of experience with tip theft,” Blum says. “Whether that’s personal experience with their tips being stolen or knowing of a coworker who’s had that happen.”

Pers Turner was one of them. A one-time cook, Turner says he left the service industry because of tip theft.

“What I saw was essentially a lot of tip skimming. essentially. I saw other people that I work with were losing part of their tips, which should belong to them to things like credit card transactions, which should be a business expense,” he says.

Typically working for minimum wage, service staff tend to rely heavily on tips. Losing even a portion of them puts a strain on their budget.

“They are incredibly important. It’s where they make their money,” says Turner. “They have the lowest wages here in the province, and they can’t afford to lose that extra 3.5, six per cent on all of their tip earnings.”

Nova Scotia is the only province in Atlantic Canada without legislation outlawing the tip theft. The NDP tabled a bill to change that on Tuesday.

“We have a cost of living crisis, we have a housing crisis, and these workers are some of the lowest-paid workers in our province, and they rely on those tips, the full 100 per cent portion of those tips to make all ends meet,” says Kendra Coombes, NDP labour critic.

That bill passed first reading, meaning Nova Scotia is one step closer to no longer being the only province in Atlantic Canada without legislation that protects workers and their tips.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.