The current administration has proposed a new rule that would allow employers to share tips with a wider variety of workers in the restaurant industry. Additionally, this would allow employers to give non-tipped responsibilities to servers who rely on tips. Restaurant industry managers are onboard with this proposal; however, workers’ advocates have concerns. Critics of this rule have asserted that managers could use tips to reduce the amount of the firm’s money that is spent on compensating kitchen workers.
See "Restaurants Would Get More Flexibility With Workers' Tips Under Proposed Rule", Scott Horsley, NPR, October 8, 2019