Starbucks barista tip pool

My nephew-in-law (who works as a barista at another chain other than Starbucks) says that shift supervisors are required to fill in for barista's on break or otherwise unavailable and routinely directly service customers. So doesn't this ruling take away their rightfully earned tips from those customers?

Yes, this ruling is baffling (and seemingly wrongheaded). Further explanation would be welcome.

perhaps Starbucks should just prohibit tipping in its CA stores. Allow customers to donate to a fund for treating Caffeine addiction instead

This sort of lawsuit makes me feel like a chump for leaving tips at coffee shops in the first place.

My understanding, not being an employment law lawyer, is that management cannot share in tips left for employees under CA state law. There may a basis if the tips are intended to hourly employees and the management is salaried.

Keep in mind that, based upon my reading of the news stories, is that the verdict DOES NOT include any punitive damages and is solely compensatory damages based upon the factual evidence at trial that the portion taken by management was $1+ per employee.

On a personal note, I have appeared before Judge Cowett on a number of occasions. She is a very thoughtful and analytical judge. Although Starbucks might hate to see themselves held liable for such a high damage award, it isn't because of a rogue judge. Or that Starbucks wasn't well represented (Akin Gump).

Just to correct my post above, the hourly tips taken per employer PER HOUR were $1+. With 120,000 class members, this obviously adds up. I've heard that the testimony was that the tips lost per employee averaged more than $1,000.

120,000 baristas in the state of california alone? It's just staggering to think that the economy is so flush with money as to support that many people who do nothing more than serve coffee, a job even a chimp could do.

All that money being divied up, I wonder how much the Attorneys get off the top!

50-60 Mill? Plus expenses, the employees will get a coupon for a cup of coffee at Bucks!

As to whether or not Starbucks violated California law, I haven’t the faintest idea. However, there wouldn’t have been a tip problem if it were up to me. Why in the world would you tip someone for handing you a cup of coffee? It is not as if they provided you with any service. You don’t tip the counter people at fast food restaurants like McDonalds now do you? Isn’t Starbucks’ coffee already overpriced enough? Some people just don’t know what to do with their money.

My understanding, not being an employment law lawyer, is that management cannot share in tips left for employees under CA state law. There may a basis if the tips are intended to hourly employees and the management is salaried.

The "shift supervisors" at Starbucks are hourly workers. The question that I have is "what defines a 'supervisor?'"

These shift supervisors could not hire, terminate, or discipline an employee. They worked the counter just as a "regular" employee did. Their responsibilities were to look out for the store when management was not around. If they are looking after the store when the management was not there, are they then, by exclusion, not "management?"

I am a Barista at Starbucks. The comment about the judge is interesting. I wonder if she (as managemnt in the courts system) would clean the the toilets and mop the floors as the "shift superviosrs" at Starbucks that she just dumped on do?

Most of my family works at starbucks and their a fair company with great benefits and as a son of a shift supervisor I say that it is fair for shifts to get tips because the work the same as regular baristas plus they work a lot harder on what the do by being responsible My Name is Melddrk Aguilar 17,current Barista in Florida.