The federal minimum wage for nonexempt employees is $7.25 per hour, but employers of employees who receive tips are only required to pay $2.13 an hour in direct wages if that amount plus the workers tips equals at least $7.25 per hour in total – and that employee usually makes over $30 per month in tips. Some tipping laws can differ by state. Contact CYB if you’re unsure how much you should be paying employees.