How is tipped overtime cash calculated in Connecticut?

OT cash = regular rate × 1.5 − tip credit (the FLSA / Hawaii / New York CR146 anti-pyramid shape). Service at MW: $16.94×1.5 − $10.56 = $14.85. Bartender: $16.94×1.5 − $8.71 = $16.70. This is not New Jersey’s MW×1.5 with no tip credit on OT hours.

Connecticut Tip Credit Calculator — §§ 31-62-E1 / Tip Statement 2026

Q: What are Connecticut’s 2026 tipped cash wages?

Under DOL-79 (Rev. 1/26) and § 31-62-E1(a), waitpersons/service employees receive $6.38 per hour plus gratuities and bartenders receive $8.23 plus gratuities, against the $16.94 minimum wage. Tip credit maxima are $10.56 (service) and $8.71 (bartender).

Q: Classic service five 10-hour days?

At MW $16.94 with full tip credit $10.56: 40×$6.38 + 10×$14.85 = $403.70 cash. Same punches on New Jersey tip credit are $480.80 (OT at MW×1.5 with no tip credit on OT). Hawaii tip credit is about $817.50. FLSA $2.13 tip residual is far lower.

Q: When does the tip credit turn off?

The Tip Statement requires tips of at least 62.98% of MW ($10.67/h) for service or 51.42% ($8.71/h) for bartenders, and non-service duties of two hours or less and 20% or less of the shift. Missing Tip Statement, side-work over those limits, or electing no credit pays full MW cash and RR×1.5 OT.

Q: Is this Connecticut restaurant reporting-time?

No. Two-hour reporting-time and seventh-consecutive-day 1.5× MW are on /connecticut-restaurant-reporting/. Mercantile reporting is /connecticut-mercantile-reporting/. Delivery/merchandiser ÷40 OT is /connecticut-delivery-merchandiser-overtime/.

How Connecticut tip credit pays

Mandatory Order No. 8 (§§ 31-62-E1 to 31-62-E15) covers restaurant and hotel-restaurant occupations. Except for service employees, the 2026 minimum is $16.94 (CGS § 31-58). Waitpersons are paid $6.38 plus gratuities; bartenders $8.23 plus gratuities (DOL-79 Rev. 1/26).

The CT DOL Tip Statement (1 Jan 2026) documents that a service employee received tips of at least 62.98% of MW ($10.67/h) or a bartender at least 51.42% ($8.71/h), and that non-service duties stayed within 2 hours and 20% of the shift. Without that statement — or when side-work exceeds those limits — the tip credit is off and cash wages are at the full regular rate.

Overtime under § 31-62-E1(d) is 1.5× the regular rate after 40. When a tip credit applies, overtime cash is RR×1.5 minus the tip credit (same anti-pyramid shape as FLSA tip OT, Hawaii, and NY CR146) — not New Jersey’s MW×1.5 with the tip credit removed only from straight time. Cash wages plus tips must still reach MW×hours; any shortfall is employer make-up.

Seventh-consecutive-day 1.5× MW and the two-hour reporting floor stay on /connecticut-restaurant-reporting/. Mercantile reporting is /connecticut-mercantile-reporting/. Delivery/merchandiser salary÷40 is /connecticut-delivery-merchandiser-overtime/.

Service five 10h @ $16.94, tip credit $10.56, tips $550 → 40×$6.38 + 10×$14.85 = $403.70 cash (no shortfall).
Bartender five 10h, tip credit $8.71, tips $550 → 40×$8.23 + 10×$16.70 = $496.20.
Same service punches on /new-jersey-tip-credit/ → $480.80 (OT at MW×1.5, no tip credit on OT).
Same on /hawaii-tip-credit/ → $817.50.
Side-work / tip credit off, five 10h @ $16.94 → 40×$16.94 + 10×$25.41 = $931.70.
Tips only $100, service credit on → cash $403.70 + tips $100 < $847 MW floor → shortfall make-up $343.30 (total employer cash $747.00).

Sources

CT DOL DOL-79 restaurant / hotel-restaurant poster (Rev. 1/26) — § 31-62-E1 rates $16.94 / $6.38 / $8.23 (HTTP 200)
CT DOL Tip Statement (effective 1 Jan 2026) — 62.98% / 51.42% tip floors; 2h / 20% side-work (HTTP 200)
CT DOL Wage and Workplace Standards — MW $16.94 (1 Jan 2026) (HTTP 200)
Conn. Agencies Regs. § 31-62-E2 — restaurant occupation definitions (Cornell; HTTP 200)
CGS § 31-60 — gratuities as wage credit (Justia; HTTP 200)

FAQ

What are Connecticut’s 2026 tipped cash wages?

Service/waitperson $6.38 + tips; bartender $8.23 + tips; MW $16.94. Tip credit maxima $10.56 and $8.71.

Classic service five 10-hour days?

$403.70 cash vs NJ tip $480.80 vs HI tip $817.50.

How is tipped overtime cash calculated?

RR×1.5 − tip credit. Service $14.85; bartender $16.70. Not NJ’s MW×1.5 with no tip credit on OT.

When does the tip credit turn off?

Missing Tip Statement, side-work >2h or >20% of the shift, or electing no credit.

Is this Connecticut restaurant reporting-time?

No — see /connecticut-restaurant-reporting/.