End Subminimum Wages for Tipped Workers in Virginia

I'm asking you to support legislation that eliminates subminimum wages for tipped workers in Virginia and moves our state toward a no-tip model like California and Nevada have already adopted. The current system is broken. Virginia allows restaurants to pay workers as little as $2.13 per hour, forcing them to rely on tips to survive. This shifts the burden of fair wages from employers to customers, creating an unpredictable income for workers and confusion for everyone else. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found two-thirds of Americans are confused by tipping etiquette, and 63% now view tipping negatively. The pandemic made it worse, with tip expectations jumping from 15-20% to 30% in some places, and digital payment systems now prompting tips even at self-checkout stations. Workers deserve stable, predictable paychecks. Customers deserve transparent pricing without guilt and social pressure at every transaction. States that have abolished subminimum wages prove this model works. Virginia should join them and require all employers to pay full minimum wage regardless of tips received.