Pennsylvania (Philadelphia) - CONVENIENCE has a cost, and some Philly businesses are passing it along to servers, bartenders and other workers every time a customer leaves a tip on a credit card. City Council may change that. Council yesterday heard testimony on a bill that would prohibit restaurateurs and others from using portions of employees' credit-card tips to pay transaction fees. The bill, introduced in May by Councilman James Kenney, could be voted on next week. Restaurant employees - who rely on tips to supplement a base wage of $2.87 per hour - say that the practice generally siphons between 1 percent and 3 percent of their total credit-card tips and leaves them feeling cheated.

http://articles.philly.com/2011-11-02/news/30350512_1_credit-card-fees-credit-card-restaurant-employees