Tipping Fishing Charters

[-JR-]

It 's work being a worker ,I agree. We all get up in the morning and work hard Some of us have jobs that we hate ,some of us have jobs that we are ok with ,and some of us have jobs that we love and can't believe we are getting paid for it .We all all get paid a wage for every hour we put in .
Its the job we picked . Why do some get a tip and why some do not ?
Do we tip the casher girl at the grocery store that has to stand on her feet all day and give you that fake smile when she gets minimal wage ,or should we save that tip for the guy that loves his job and gets minimal wage also .
These are all good question ?

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Serengeti Charters

If it's that easy maybe you should do it then !?!?

Uneducated comment on what goes on behind the scenes. Guides, and in fairness not all, but most work their tails off. I know ours do. It isn't just 10 hours on the water, once you (the guest) leave then its clean the boat, tie more gear for following day etc. I just had to comment as this perception shouldn't be projected as fact.

I did guide when I was young, both hunting and fishing. I know exactly what happens behind the scenes. If your guides are putting in 12 or 14 hour days, then how about you pay them for that, because by law, that is at least 4 to 6 hours of overtime a day. Even at min wage of $17.40, the B.C. Min wage Effective June 1, 2024, an hour, that would be $294.80 a day for 14 hours, $1768.80 on a 6 day week and $88,440, a year with 2 weeks of holidays, and every 7th day off. As the guest, paying the all in rate for a guided charter, I should not be expected to bring your employee up to $150,000 a year, you are the one that put forward $200 a day tip, just to make them happy. Yes I know they don't work 12 months a year, but it is still a fair comparison of wages paid.

When I was guiding, I knew what the job was, and I knew what I got paid per day. I never once paid room and Board to the outfitter. Tips were just that, not what I relied on. If I had not been happy with the pay or working conditions, I would have moved on to another outfit.



B.C. Overtime Pay Rules.

Overtime pay
Last updated on January 31, 2024

Overtime is paid when employees work more than standard work hours. Employers must pay for overtime, even if an employee agrees not to claim overtime pay.

Overtime is given to employees regardless of how they're paid – hourly, monthly salary, annual salary, or commission earnings.

Employees are paid time-and-a-half for any time worked over 40 hours worked in a week – even if an employee doesn't work more than 8 hours in a day. A week is from Sunday to Saturday. Only the first 8 hours worked in a day count towards weekly overtime.

f the employee works overtime hours on a statutory holiday, they are paid an average day's pay plus time-and-a-half for the hours worked. Employees do not also receive overtime pay for the same hours worked.

Rest periods

Employees get extra pay for working during their rest period.

An employee must have at least 32 hours in a row free from work each week. If an employee works during this period, they must be paid time-and-a-half.

If the hours an employee works are also considered overtime, they are only paid time-and-a-half for the hours worked. Employees do not receive overtime pay and premium pay for the same hours worked.

Example: If an employee works every day 7 days in a row, they must be paid time-and-a-half for one of the days, even if they worked less than 40 hours in total. Time-and-a-half can be paid for the day with the least number of hours.

[rasbok]

do you give a percentage each or ?

Originally Posted by deschambault

I spent a week at Plummers Arctic Lodge and tipped them all, it's just part of the deal and expected.

[elkoholik]

Originally Posted by Dean2

I did guide when I was young, both hunting and fishing. I know exactly what happens behind the scenes. If your guides are putting in 12 or 14 hour days, then how about you pay them for that, because by law, that is at least 4 to 6 hours of overtime a day. Even at min wage of $17.40, the B.C. Min wage Effective June 1, 2024, an hour, that would be $294.80 a day for 14 hours, $1768.80 on a 6 day week and $88,440, a year with 2 weeks of holidays, and every 7th day off. As the guest, paying the all in rate for a guided charter, I should not be expected to bring your employee up to $150,000 a year, you are the one that put forward $200 a day tip, just to make them happy. Yes I know they don't work 12 months a year, but it is still a fair comparison of wages paid.

When I was guiding, I knew what the job was, and I knew what I got paid per day. I never once paid room and Board to the outfitter. Tips were just that, not what I relied on. If I had not been happy with the pay or working conditions, I would have moved on to another outfit.



B.C. Overtime Pay Rules.

Overtime pay
Last updated on January 31, 2024

Overtime is paid when employees work more than standard work hours. Employers must pay for overtime, even if an employee agrees not to claim overtime pay.

Overtime is given to employees regardless of how they're paid – hourly, monthly salary, annual salary, or commission earnings.

Employees are paid time-and-a-half for any time worked over 40 hours worked in a week – even if an employee doesn't work more than 8 hours in a day. A week is from Sunday to Saturday. Only the first 8 hours worked in a day count towards weekly overtime.

f the employee works overtime hours on a statutory holiday, they are paid an average day's pay plus time-and-a-half for the hours worked. Employees do not also receive overtime pay for the same hours worked.

Rest periods

Employees get extra pay for working during their rest period.

An employee must have at least 32 hours in a row free from work each week. If an employee works during this period, they must be paid time-and-a-half.

If the hours an employee works are also considered overtime, they are only paid time-and-a-half for the hours worked. Employees do not receive overtime pay and premium pay for the same hours worked.

Example: If an employee works every day 7 days in a row, they must be paid time-and-a-half for one of the days, even if they worked less than 40 hours in total. Time-and-a-half can be paid for the day with the least number of hours.

Just so you are aware we as guides do not get paid overtime. I am hourly at the lodge I work and due to seasonal labour laws we are not entitled to over time. Just so you are aware. You have to look at seasonal employees such as fishing and orchards. If you are doing guiding for many seasons you have a passion for fishing and mentoring as it is more guest relations than fishing. Some places do better than others when it comes to wages and tips, you have to be comfortable knowing what you are going to be making and what the lodge/operaiton has to offer you as a guide.

[-JR-]

I went years ago also on a fly in fishing trip to northern Sack in the mid 90s. Spent a week in the camp and never seen the guides ever do over time . I was always the first guy at the boat waiting for the guide to jump in the boat in the morning . Every day when we got in to camp the rods and tackle where just left in the boat Never seen more than 8 hrs of fishing every day . Guides were always very quite in the boats because they were hung over every day because it was like a working holiday for them . I was not to happy with the guiding service . I think they only guide for 1.5 months then shut it down .
One morning the cook did not even make breakfast for us, because she was drinking to much the night before . Lets say there tip was not very big .

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by elkoholik

Just so you are aware we as guides do not get paid overtime. I am hourly at the lodge I work and due to seasonal labour laws we are not entitled to over time. Just so you are aware. You have to look at seasonal employees such as fishing and orchards. If you are doing guiding for many seasons you have a passion for fishing and mentoring as it is more guest relations than fishing. Some places do better than others when it comes to wages and tips, you have to be comfortable knowing what you are going to be making and what the lodge/operaiton has to offer you as a guide.

That is correct, see copy of the B.C. Employment Standards Act below, however that does not change my point that the outfitter should be properly compensating their staff for the hours worked, and not taking advantage of them, while expecting the clients to top up their salary to provide proper compensation. If regular work hours are 12 to 14 hours a day, that warrants better than minimum wage by a long shot. On top of that, they sure as hell should not be charging you room and board.

That all said, when I worked those jobs it was as much about being out there as the money that got made, but there is still a limit to how low the base pay is and still make sense. There are lots of jobs that do pay $150,000 a year, working the rigs, working a trade with lots of overtime, fishing on the Bearing Sea, etc. but the vast majority of them are not nearly as much fun. You can have money or fun, but usually not both.

The tip is about the going above and beyond and is a personal thank you, it is not about making up for places that pay crappy wages.

Exclusions from hours of work and overtime requirements

34 Part 4 of the Act does not apply to any of the following:

(a) a fishing or hunting guide;

(a.1) a wilderness guide;

(b) a person, other than a percussion drill or diamond drill operator or a helper of either operator, employed in any of the following activities while exploring for minerals other than oil or gas:

(i) staking;

(ii) line cutting;

(iii) geological mapping;

(iv) geochemical sampling and testing;

(v) geophysical surveying or manual stripping;

(c) a teacher;

(d) a person employed as a noon hour supervisor, teacher's aide or supervision aide by

(i) a board as defined in the School Act, or

(ii) an authority as defined in the Independent School Act;

(e) a person employed part time by an institution that

(i) provides training or instruction in a trade, occupation, vocation, recreational activity or hobby, and

(ii) is owned or operated by a municipality, regional district or the government;

(f) a manager;

(g) a tender vessel worker;

(h) a guard, fire warden or fish camp worker employed in connection with a commercial fishing operation;

(i) a person employed on a towboat other than

(i) a boom boat,

(ii) a dozer boat, or

(iii) a camp tender

in connection with a commercial logging operation;

(j) a police officer employed by a municipal police board established under the Police Act;

(k) a fire fighter employed by a paid fire department as defined in the Fire Department Act;

(l) a commercial traveller who, while travelling, buys or sells goods that

(i) are selected from samples, catalogues, price lists or other forms of advertising material, and

(ii) are to be delivered from a factory or warehouse;

(m) an operator of a motor vehicle who is employed exclusively to transport

(i) students, teachers and other persons accompanying them on school related activities that have been approved by a board as defined in the School Act or by an authority as defined in the Independent School Act, and

(ii) persons to and from a church;

(n) the master or crew of a chartered boat;

(o) any of the following employees of BC Rail Ltd. or of a subsidiary of that company as defined in the British Columbia Railway Act:

(i) a locomotive engineer or helper;

(ii) a train conductor or a train baggage handler;

(iii) a brake operator;

(iv) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 357/97.]

(p) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 113/99, s. 5.]

(q) a live-in home support worker;

(r) any of the following who are employed by a charity to assist in a program of therapy, treatment or rehabilitation of physically, mentally or otherwise disabled persons:

(i) a counsellor;

(ii) an instructor;

(iii) a therapist;

(iv) a childcare worker;

(v) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 44/97, s. (c).]

(s) a faculty member as defined in the University Act;

(t) a professor as defined in the Royal Roads University Act;

(u) an instructor, counsellor, librarian or administrator who is employed by an institution as defined in the College and Institute Act;

(v) a senior tutor, or tutor, who is employed by the Open Learning Agency;

(w) a night attendant;

(x) a residential care worker;

(y) a live-in camp leader.

(z) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 56/2017, s. 1 (c).]

[am. B.C. Regs. 44/97, s. (c); 357/97; 26/98, s. 1; 113/99, s. 5; 250/2014, s. 2; 56/2017, s. 1; 76/2022, s. 11.]

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by elkoholik

Just so you are aware we as guides do not get paid overtime. I am hourly at the lodge I work and due to seasonal labour laws we are not entitled to over time. Just so you are aware. You have to look at seasonal employees such as fishing and orchards. If you are doing guiding for many seasons you have a passion for fishing and mentoring as it is more guest relations than fishing. Some places do better than others when it comes to wages and tips, you have to be comfortable knowing what you are going to be making and what the lodge/operaiton has to offer you as a guide.

Them saying you are not entitled to over time can mean so much.
Not many places even give people over time !
Some places do not even entitle people 8 hrs a day of work .

Some people get so much a day ,and if they work longer than 8 hrs they bank that time and get a day off with pay .

[SNAPFisher]

Thankfully Moe got his answer pretty quickly.

Man, people have to thump their chests on here. How hard is to just come up with a reasonable tip and use common sense....oh wait... just answered myself