Tipping and minimum wage.. www.dol.gov?

[wethrby]

I am trying to get more educated on the subject of tipping.. i tip because I want to not because I feel i have to..

the main argument i get from servers is I should tip because they make 2 to 3 dollars an hour..

I have looked up on dept of labor web site and talk to a few tax people.. (HR block people) and paying someone JUST 2 or 3 dollars an hour is illegal.. That an employer has to make up the difference to equal the state requirement of min. wage, if the server does NOT make it up in tips.

So tech a server does NOT make JUST 2 or 3 dollars an hour.. so a server saying you have to or should tip because they only make 2 or 3 dollars an hour is false.

I also know that federal law and state law are different.. but i have looked up the fact sheet for states and the different is only in the difference the employer has to pay the server to make up the difference,, it the min. wage is 7.50 the employer can pay the server this amount BUT has to make up the difference so the server gets that states min. wage if the server does not make it up in tips..

I am not saying that servers don't make crap.. even making just 7.50 is crap.. my argument is how can servers say they only make 2 or 3 dollars an hour when in fact they don't. ??

AND this is not for the illegal employers that do not make up the difference,, yes, i know they are out there.. I am talking about the good employers that legally pay their workers min. wage..