“Tens of Millions” from the Starbucks Tip Jar?

How much money is there in a coffee house tip jar?  A trial is underway in San Diego to find out.  The court will be asked to award damages to employees who allegedly were denied a fair share from the tip jar at Starbucks.  The class action on behalf of an estimated 120,000 Starbucks baristas alleges that store managers or supervisors shared in the tip jar in violation of California law.  The plaintiffs’ attorney is quoted as saying that the tip jar damages could be in the “tens of millions.”   An article about the case appears here.  More information about the California tip pooling rules is published on the California Labor & Employment Defense Blog.