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Mom Shares A TikTok Of Her $9.28 Paycheck After Working For 70 Hours As A Waitress
Only your iron will is keeping you away from the mocha with whipped cream on top for six dollars. A paycheck is on the horizon, but there’s only one coffee to last you until then, and it’s filtered. Living on a tight budget is like standing on a ledge. No matter how hard you try, you’ll get tired and will start craving a treat. When the big day arrives, you finally see your holy paycheck only to find out… it’s 9 dollars. This is what happened to young Texas mother Aaliyah Cortez. After having worked 70+ hours as a bartender, the woman was left in disbelief: “I cannot afford to live off of $2.13 an hour, so I solely rely on the generosity of my customers.” So, the next time you’re on a night out don’t forget about Aaliyah, me and yourself—we’ve all been there. Scroll down below to see what Aaliyah Cortez told Bored Panda in an interview about the situation.
RELATED:
This brave young mom who works as a bartender at a local bar has raised awareness about wages in the service industry
Image credits: abronte_
@f.aa.dedPSA #psa#fyp#foryou#bartender#server#work#tips#chooseone#CleanFreshHype#photography101#hardwork#viral♬ original sound – f.aa.ded
When speaking to Bored Panda, Aaliyah Cortez was very honest about her current life. “It’s tough being a working mom for me right now just because I’m going through a custody battle. I would love to spend time with my son, but I have to make a living so we can have a good life once the custody battle comes to an end.”
Image credits: f.aa.ded
Image credits: f.aa.ded
Image credits: f.aa.ded
Image credits: f.aa.ded
Image credits: f.aa.ded
Image credits: f.aa.ded
Image credits: f.aa.ded
Monthly paychecks don’t make her life any easier. “Honestly, every time I open a check I just chuckle a little bit. My coworkers and I will compare checks to see who got the least amount and we’ll just laugh because it’s ridiculous how little we get paid.” Aaliyah still tries to stay positive: “I would just like to add that I love my job and I’m fortunate enough to make enough to get by, but it’s tough to think that if an emergency comes up it could really hurt me financially. I just wish we all had stable and consistent paychecks.”
“It’s important to tip because we literally rely solely on those tips. We’ll be greatly appreciative and it’s just nice to be compassionate and understanding that this is just how laws are set up, and if you’re going to restaurants that do abide by these laws, you are feeding into the broken system. We don’t like relying on the customer but until the laws can get changed, we still need to be paid.” Whatever you do, Don’t. Forget. To tip.
Some people, though, appeared far from convinced
Image credits: JoeMolleda321
Image credits: wesleyamullins
But Aaliyah was quick to defend her point
Image credits: abronte_
Image credits: abronte_
Image credits: abronte_
Image credits: abronte_
“My advice to fellow moms is just keep being badass. Being a mom alone is a full-time job, so I would want them to know I’m supporting them!” At the end of a day, being a mom is the most precious job of all.
Aaliyah’s post sparked a heated debate over how important it is to tip
What do you think ?
Laugh or not 5 years ago
No, that's not why you tip. That's why you fight for fair wages. And what the h*ll as it got to do with being a mom? If you don't have a child, exploitation is not bad anymore?
Tamora Spiller 5 years ago
I never understood this mentality of "this is why you tip" vs. "this is why we deserve better wages". You keep making the customer the villain and not holding the establishment accountable for giving you a living wage. I'd pay more for food to not tip if that's the answer. When I travel out of this country, tipping isn't' even a thing, so why do we keep harping on it here as if our tips are the only reason you don't have a living wage.
Load More Replies...
Coco 5 years ago
I cannot believe that people is talking about the importance of tipping instead of making the "employers" to pay decent wages. Is impressive, the human stupidity.
Nyree Huh 5 years ago
EXACTLY why is it customers responsibility to pay for wages???
Load More Replies...
bryguy 5 years ago
$2 an hour!?!? Unheard of in my country (Canada). Last time the min wage was that amount was the early 1970's. I absolutely support tipping well for good service, but should that burden really be on the customer? A tip in my opinion is above and on top of a salary, not a substitute for one.
Emperor Kitten 5 years ago
The minimum wage isn't $2. Unfortunately, people that work for tips are exempt from min wage laws. If they make less than min after tips their employer are obligated to make up the difference, but they probably wouldn't do it more than once, if ever (depends on whether the employee knows they're owed). They'd probably be fired for being a bad waiter. Tip based pay is a terrible system. That said, a good waiter at a good restaurant can make bank (statistically more if they're also attractive).
Load More Replies...
Ed 5 years ago
I love Japan. No tipping. People are paid a wage to actually do their jobs. The whole tipping thing is b******t. 9/10 times service is s**t, orders are wrong and the food sucks, but you better still tip 20% or you're the bad one.
Bonnie Clyde 5 years ago
I wish more countries operated like this. Tipping is way less of a thing in Europe, and it more of an 'extra' for good service. If I recall correctly the German word for tipping is basically 'beer money' if translated literally.
Load More Replies...
John Forman 5 years ago
Tipping is the reason I don't go out to eat as often as I would like. I have to figure on what I am spending on food and drink plus add in the servers tip. It is a messed up system. If I go to breakfast place My bill is about 20+ for me and wife, plus $3 tip so I am spending 23. I go out for dinner and the bill is 40+ and the tip is $6. The servers at both places did the same job, Take drink order-bring drinks, take food order-bring food, come around and make sure you have everything you need. done. I don't believe tip should be based on cost of food when they do the same job, just bring different food.
Bonnie Clyde 5 years ago
Yup. Time of day and day of the week impact tips (how busy is it, folks don't order as much alcohol on a Tuesday as a Friday night). There's competition for the 'best' shifts which can add unpleasant compilation to the workplace dynamic, and always working evenings/weekends (because they tend to pay more) can be really hard on parents of young kids. It's a messy process. Fixed pay based on hours would work better for most people overall - but you'd have to build that into menu prices and do away with tipping. (Which is how plenty of countries do things, but change is hard for people.)
Load More Replies...
Pacifico Fernandez 5 years ago (edited)
Is the USA on another planet? Or somehow became a third world country? When I saw the post I thought she is in Thailand or something? This cannot be legal. Also - I hate your tip system. In my country we tip when we like the service.
Laura Pantazis 5 years ago
It is legal because that check doesn't account for her total income with the job. The US requires that a person make the standard minimum wage rate after all income - hourly salary and tips are calculated. If after those two amounts were combined she still didn't make standard minimum wage, the employer would be required to compensate her the difference. That her check was so low meant that she made enough tips to meet minimum wage. She didn't share the amount of her tips for a reason. People are outraged when they see someone making $9 for 70 hours worked, but not so outraged when she made at least $500.
Load More Replies...
Johnny 5 years ago
But she didn't earn $9.28 -- she also took home $708 in cash tips. Her pre-tax salary was $151 + $708 = $858, and she paid about 16% in taxes (a much lower tax rate than I pay). $2/hour is very low pay, but if her boss decided to increase wages by eliminating tipping, and raised her salary to $10/hour, she'd earn less than the $12/hour including tips she's earning now.
Sandra Mason 5 years ago
wonder how much cash she took home that she didn't report?
Load More Replies...
Nupraptor 5 years ago
Tipping should be abolished. How on earth is everyone okay with subsidizing worker's wages by guilt tripping customers??
Full Name 5 years ago
Yup. Some restaurant where you order as you're sitting down, then you get your food and then walk up to the till at the end and they expect the same % tip as the restaurant down the street where they refill your drinks and ask you how you're doing. Drop dead.
Load More Replies... Electric Ed 5 years ago
Tipping feels pretty repulsive to me. And reading this doesn't improve that at all. Tipping makes it feel like the restaurants use homeless beggars for work, not professionals. Guess next time I must travel to a country with tipping culture, I'll eat at McDonalds exclusively. Or would they have required tips too?
Bonnie Clyde 5 years ago
It's the corporations that feel repulsive to me. "Please pay our staff for us, we're too cheap to. We put their livelihoods at the mercy of random strangers."
Load More Replies...
Raul Acosta 5 years ago
That's slavery....why are they paying waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay below the standard rate?.....I'm ok with tipping BUT NOT AS A MUST TO
Jo Bebe 5 years ago
Slavery was not optional, your comment is an insult to the history of slaves and any of those who might be alive today.
Load More Replies... Laugh or not 5 years ago
No, that's not why you tip. That's why you fight for fair wages. And what the h*ll as it got to do with being a mom? If you don't have a child, exploitation is not bad anymore?
Tamora Spiller 5 years ago
I never understood this mentality of "this is why you tip" vs. "this is why we deserve better wages". You keep making the customer the villain and not holding the establishment accountable for giving you a living wage. I'd pay more for food to not tip if that's the answer. When I travel out of this country, tipping isn't' even a thing, so why do we keep harping on it here as if our tips are the only reason you don't have a living wage.
Load More Replies... Coco 5 years ago
I cannot believe that people is talking about the importance of tipping instead of making the "employers" to pay decent wages. Is impressive, the human stupidity.
Nyree Huh 5 years ago
EXACTLY why is it customers responsibility to pay for wages???
Load More Replies... bryguy 5 years ago
$2 an hour!?!? Unheard of in my country (Canada). Last time the min wage was that amount was the early 1970's. I absolutely support tipping well for good service, but should that burden really be on the customer? A tip in my opinion is above and on top of a salary, not a substitute for one.
Emperor Kitten 5 years ago
The minimum wage isn't $2. Unfortunately, people that work for tips are exempt from min wage laws. If they make less than min after tips their employer are obligated to make up the difference, but they probably wouldn't do it more than once, if ever (depends on whether the employee knows they're owed). They'd probably be fired for being a bad waiter. Tip based pay is a terrible system. That said, a good waiter at a good restaurant can make bank (statistically more if they're also attractive).
Load More Replies... Ed 5 years ago
I love Japan. No tipping. People are paid a wage to actually do their jobs. The whole tipping thing is b******t. 9/10 times service is s**t, orders are wrong and the food sucks, but you better still tip 20% or you're the bad one.
Bonnie Clyde 5 years ago
I wish more countries operated like this. Tipping is way less of a thing in Europe, and it more of an 'extra' for good service. If I recall correctly the German word for tipping is basically 'beer money' if translated literally.
Load More Replies... John Forman 5 years ago
Tipping is the reason I don't go out to eat as often as I would like. I have to figure on what I am spending on food and drink plus add in the servers tip. It is a messed up system. If I go to breakfast place My bill is about 20+ for me and wife, plus $3 tip so I am spending 23. I go out for dinner and the bill is 40+ and the tip is $6. The servers at both places did the same job, Take drink order-bring drinks, take food order-bring food, come around and make sure you have everything you need. done. I don't believe tip should be based on cost of food when they do the same job, just bring different food.
Bonnie Clyde 5 years ago
Yup. Time of day and day of the week impact tips (how busy is it, folks don't order as much alcohol on a Tuesday as a Friday night). There's competition for the 'best' shifts which can add unpleasant compilation to the workplace dynamic, and always working evenings/weekends (because they tend to pay more) can be really hard on parents of young kids. It's a messy process. Fixed pay based on hours would work better for most people overall - but you'd have to build that into menu prices and do away with tipping. (Which is how plenty of countries do things, but change is hard for people.)
Load More Replies... Pacifico Fernandez 5 years ago (edited)
Is the USA on another planet? Or somehow became a third world country? When I saw the post I thought she is in Thailand or something? This cannot be legal. Also - I hate your tip system. In my country we tip when we like the service.
Laura Pantazis 5 years ago
It is legal because that check doesn't account for her total income with the job. The US requires that a person make the standard minimum wage rate after all income - hourly salary and tips are calculated. If after those two amounts were combined she still didn't make standard minimum wage, the employer would be required to compensate her the difference. That her check was so low meant that she made enough tips to meet minimum wage. She didn't share the amount of her tips for a reason. People are outraged when they see someone making $9 for 70 hours worked, but not so outraged when she made at least $500.
Load More Replies... Johnny 5 years ago
But she didn't earn $9.28 -- she also took home $708 in cash tips. Her pre-tax salary was $151 + $708 = $858, and she paid about 16% in taxes (a much lower tax rate than I pay). $2/hour is very low pay, but if her boss decided to increase wages by eliminating tipping, and raised her salary to $10/hour, she'd earn less than the $12/hour including tips she's earning now.
Sandra Mason 5 years ago
wonder how much cash she took home that she didn't report?
Load More Replies... Nupraptor 5 years ago
Tipping should be abolished. How on earth is everyone okay with subsidizing worker's wages by guilt tripping customers??
Full Name 5 years ago
Yup. Some restaurant where you order as you're sitting down, then you get your food and then walk up to the till at the end and they expect the same % tip as the restaurant down the street where they refill your drinks and ask you how you're doing. Drop dead.
Load More Replies... Electric Ed 5 years ago
Tipping feels pretty repulsive to me. And reading this doesn't improve that at all. Tipping makes it feel like the restaurants use homeless beggars for work, not professionals. Guess next time I must travel to a country with tipping culture, I'll eat at McDonalds exclusively. Or would they have required tips too?
Bonnie Clyde 5 years ago
It's the corporations that feel repulsive to me. "Please pay our staff for us, we're too cheap to. We put their livelihoods at the mercy of random strangers."
Load More Replies... Raul Acosta 5 years ago
That's slavery....why are they paying waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay below the standard rate?.....I'm ok with tipping BUT NOT AS A MUST TO
Jo Bebe 5 years ago
Slavery was not optional, your comment is an insult to the history of slaves and any of those who might be alive today.
Load More Replies...
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