Does the Tipped Minimum Wage Violate Workers’ Civil Rights? | Eater

"A server, Jillian Melton, says she was paid just $2.13 per hour for six years at the Memphis location, relying entirely on tips that fluctuated wildly; she reports nights where she made $300–$400 while older and darker‑skinned Black coworkers took home only $60–$80. Management routinely assigned lighter‑skinned, younger, and white staff to the busiest, front‑facing sections while giving emptier sections to older and darker‑skinned coworkers, a pattern Melton characterized as colorism, racism, and ageism. When she raised concerns management was unreceptive, and she also endured routine sexual and verbal harassment from customers that she felt unable to challenge because her livelihood depended on those tips." - Greta Moran