Originally Posted by
BJH100
Living the Bay Area during the apogee years, I was socialized by my friends to leave 20 per cent on top of
subsidizing their health care with another charge. I moved to Portugal several years ago after living in Zurich and wow. Now if I leave 5 Euro on a 40 Euro for two person dinner Ill hear wait staff whisper he isn’t British he has to be American.
Why should people enter into a salary sharing agreement with management? Mandate a living wage and then tip a bit for outstanding service. The US system will never end unless pressure is applied. Another factor in some Euro zone countries like Portugal wages are taxed on first euro earned, not like the US where income must approach 22-24 k before even a dollar is taxed. Maybe then you wouldn’t have to subsidize their healthcare.
While federal income tax may not end up due at low income levels in the US, don't be so sure that the tax for contributing to the US social security system doesn't begin from the employee's first employer-reported dollar of income. Employers shifting the cost of labor to the clients via tipping is a systematic problem that suits employers at the expense of the employees, of the customers and especially at the public at large.