Antigua’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced that Sandals Resorts has agreed to allow its employees to keep their tips, following discussions with Executive Chairman Adam Stewart.
The government is also moving to legislate protections for hotel workers to prevent employers from withholding gratuities.
Speaking on Pointe FM, Browne commented Stewart’s commitment to ending the controversial policy. Adam Steward reportedly said ‘If the government of Antigua & Barbuda wants the staff to get tips, they can have the tips.’ So I said to him, ‘Definitely.’”
Browne made it clear that the government expects Sandals to proactively update its tipping policy before legislation is enacted. “We hope Sandals will be proactive and put the new tip policy in place so that when workers receive tips, those tips belong to the employees, not the employer or any trust or fund,” he stated.