"It’s going to leave families homeless. It’s going to leave kids living in vans. This is not something that the restaurant and the people employed by it are going to survive,” said Amy Covert. Covert was among a number of servers, restaurant owners and business group representatives who spoke Tuesday, Jan. 14, in support of legislation from House Republicans that would preserve the current tipped wage system.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re in Monroe or Marquette, Detroit or rural Michigan, it impacts everybody, it hits everybody hard, which is why it’s important that we fix it," said Representative Bill G. Schuette (R-Midland).

"Tipped workers have been speaking up about the changes since they were announced last July. With the beginning of the new legislature, lawmakers are pushing hard to pass a new law to set different rates before the changes kick in. At the bill’s committee hearing, 50 testimony cards were submitted, but only three against the legislation were heard."

"We're here today because there is a looming cliff our state is racing toward. And on February 21, our restaurant workers our family owned small businesses and the future of literally thousands of jobs in our state will pay the price if our legislature does not act," said committee chair Rep. Bill G. Schuette.

Several restaurant workers and owners asked lawmakers to keep the current tipped wage system in place during a special committee hearing in Lansing on Tuesday morning.

Restaurant owner Marianne Hayoz testified in support of the bill, telling lawmakers the only way she could afford to comply with the coming changes is to raise her cafe’s prices and add service fees.” “This is something that I don't want to do, but unfortunately, there's no other option,” she said.

"Several restaurant workers testified that the law, which is set to replace the lower tipped wage with a minimum wage, would be detrimental to their take home pay. 'Good hard working people will lose their jobs,' said Marianne 'Lu' Hayoz, a restaurant worker from Walker in suburban Grand Rapids. 'Doors will close. All for something we never asked for.'"

Tammy Upchurch, a server in Midland, expressed concern over losing tips that significantly supplement her income. “This would destroy anybody making 30, 40, or 50 dollars an hour sometimes,” Upchurch said. “The wage we’re paid is overly compensated by the tips we earn. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

John Sellek is the spokesperson for the sexual assault survivors group: Justice for Survivors. "Because so far in their view the law protects the abuser and keeps the survivor from being able to access the courts, to access justice, to come forward," Sellek said.

Rep. John Roth testified on behalf of HB 4001, which preserves the tipped minimum wage. Roth said it was critical to find a way to make tipped wages work for employees. "Changes mandated by the Supreme Court decision will have a catastrophic impact on many small businesses, particularly restaurants, which operate at razor thin profit margins. This would be a real detriment if this is not fixed," Roth said. "We need to be looking out for them."

“I had one business owner say to me they have never seen policies so devastating to business,” says State Rep. Kathy Schmaltz (R-46). “These bills have to pass and we have to help our servers continue to get their tips and we need to help our restaurants and small businesses from closing.”

"Rep. Fairbairn says if the tipped worker wage is increased, it could mean higher costs for businesses and ultimately consumers. 'We’ve seen it happen in these different cities,' Fairbairn said. 'In Chicago and Washington, D.C., they’re both backpedaling now after they removed the tip credit. We’ve seen it fail in these other locations and we’re trying to stop that from happening.'"

"Many fear if the law goes into effect as it is expected to in February, they will have to raise menu prices, and potentially close their doors. '$15 an hour is a joke and it's a slap in the face,' Amy Covert, a server from Jackson, Mich., said. 'We can't support our families on that.'"

Amy Covert, a single mother of four who lives in Jackson, said she has worked in the restaurant industry for 20 years. “I can support my four kids on this job,” she said. “My average is more than half of what they want to pay us at $15 an hour."

The newly formed Michigan House Select Committee on Protecting Michigan Employees and Small Businesses was filled with workers from across the state who offered their support to bills to undo a mandate to phase out the tipped wage credit and set requirements for paid sick leave that are set to take effect Feb. 21.

"The panel took testimony from several restaurant servers, business owners and business groups that advocated for the legislation during a nearly three-hour hearing that drew so much interest that people watched from two overflow rooms."

John Sellek, a spokesman with Save MI Tips, says that after months without traction, this week has been a breath of fresh air. "We feel like we broke a logjam, we've got a long way to go and almost no time on our hands. But finally, there's movement both in the House and the Senate. That's exciting," said Sellek. "Now we just need to make sure everything gets wrapped up before mid-February."