Welcome to Los Angeles, Struggling Actresses! You rent a lovely apartment and wait tables, don't you? Of course you do! But do you know how much you are required to tip the dishwasher and what percentage your landlord is allowed to raise your rent? (You are NOT required to tip the dishwasher, and if you live in rent controlled Los Angeles, only 3%)
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to know your rights as both an employee and a renter.
If you are a tipped employee, you should definitely be aware of Labor Code Section 351, which prohibits employers and their agents from sharing in or keeping any portion of a gratuity left for or given to one or more employees by a patron (ie: it is illegal for your employer to collect your tips at the end of the night for him to calculate tipping for your coworkers for you). Furthermore it is illegal for employers to make wage deductions from gratuities, or from using gratuities as direct or indirect credits against an employee’s wages. The law further states that gratuities are the sole property of the employee or employees to whom they are given. "Gratuity" is defined in the Labor Code as a tip, gratuity, or money that has been paid or given to or left for an employee by a patron of a business over and above the actual amount due for services rendered or for goods, food, drink, articles sold or served to patrons. Bookmark and understand your rights as a tipped employee.
Even if you don't read anything now, before you move out and into another apartment, know your rights and responisbilities as a tenant. Download this www.dca.ca.gov/publications/landlordbook/catenant.pdf and save it. Don't want to download a pdf from my website, no problem. Here's a list of websites for you.
This is a major city and people will take advantage of you because they assume you don't know the laws. Know them. It's your civic duty and will save you a ton of money.
