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NEW YORK (AP) — As a waitress, Nadine Morsch was used to having to force an occasional smile for an unpleasant customer. But when a man she was serving made a reference to grabbing her butt, she warned him he better not try. And he made her pay.
For the rest of the hour he was in the diner, she says, he was “running me around as much as possible.”
Morsch says she tolerated him, because she needed a good tip.
Experiences like that are one reason activists are invoking the #MeToo movement in the push for more states to adopt higher minimum wages for tipped workers. They say a wage structure that leaves workers dependent on tips often forces them to put up with harassing and abusive behavior from their customers or risk not being paid.
The effort has been around for years but has taken on new momentum lately with the increased reckoning and awareness of sexual misconduct. Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has called for public hearings; there’s a June ballot question in Washington, D.C., and an effort is underway to get the issue on the statewide ballot in Michigan.
A higher base wage, advocates say, could free tipped workers from the fear of speaking out.
“I wouldn’t have needed to feel like my entire life was in his power,” said Morsch, who now works at a pub in Rochester, New York.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are about 2 million people working as restaurant servers in the United States, about 70 percent of them women.
Currently, the federal government allows workers who get tipped, such as servers and bartenders, to be paid as little as $2.13 per hour if they make at least $7.25 per hour with tips included.
No state is talking about ending the practice of tipping. But seven states — Alaska, California, Minnesota, Nevada, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin — mandate that tipped workers be paid at least the same minimum wage as everyone else. Another 26 states require employers to pay tipped workers a wage at least a little higher than the federal minimum.
Restaurant Oppor-tunities Centers United, an advocacy group, says it has found that service employees in the states that require the same minimum wage for everyone, even tipped workers, reported lower levels of harassment than states that did not.
“This is about the power imbalance that women face on the job,” said Restaurant Oppor-tunities Centers United co-founder Saru Jayaraman.
Cuomo said late last year that he was open to the possibility of joining the states that have eliminated the subminimum tipped wage.
It’s an issue that’s come up in New York before and gone nowhere while lawmakers focused on raising the standard minimum wage, currently at $13 in New York City for companies with more than 11 employees and $8.65 for tipped workers. Minimum wages are lower in other parts of the state. Cuomo’s administration could make the change itself through an order from the Department of Labor, if the legislature does not act.
Restaurant workers can be sharply divided over whether a higher base wage would help.
Maine created a level minimum wage for tipped workers in a voter referendum in 2017, but almost immediately reversed course. Servers said they were worried customers would stop tipping altogether.
Part-time New York City waitress Sarah March, 30, shares that concern.
“As soon as they hear that I’m already making enough money, I just don’t feel like anyone’s going to put forth the extra effort to compensate the servers,” she said.
March agreed that sexual harassment on the job is a problem. But a higher minimum wage, she said, will not deter customers engaging in improper behavior.
“They would just not tip and continue to act the way they were inclined,” she said.
Some wait staff said if they were less reliant on tips, it might change a workplace culture that is conducive of abuse, and not just from customers.
New York State Restaurant Association President Melissa Autilio Fleischut said a higher minimum wage for tipped workers would only saddle employers with expenses they can’t afford and wouldn’t help deal with sexual misconduct, either.
Harassment, she said, “cuts across numerous industries and has very little to do with what a woman makes or what a sexually harassed person makes,” she said. “I don’t see the correlation between the tip credit and sexual harassment.”

PARIS (AP) — French couturier Hubert de Givenchy, a pioneer of ready-to-wear who designed Audrey Hepburn’s little black dress in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” has died at 91.
The house of Givenchy paid homage to its founder in a statement as “a major personality of the world of French haute couture and a gentleman who symbolized Parisian chic and elegance for more than half a century.”
“He revolutionized international fashion with the timelessly stylish looks he created for Audrey Hepburn, his great friend and muse for over 40 years,” the house of Givenchy said. “His work remains as relevant today as it was then.”
Along with Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent and mentor Cristobal Balenciaga, Givenchy was part of the elite cadre of Paris-based designers who redefined fashion after World War II.
Givenchy, speaking last year at an exhibition of his creations at the City of Lace and Fashion in Calais, said “too much artifice” detracts from clothing.
“A piece of material has a life. You must never upset it, if you want the material to speak,” he said.
A towering man of elegance and impeccable manners, he forged close friendships with his famous clients, from Hollywood screen sirens of the likes of Elizabeth Taylor and Lauren Bacall to women of state, including Jackie Kennedy and Princess Grace of Monaco.
Born into an aristocratic family in the provincial city of Beauvais on Feb. 21, 1927, Givenchy struck out for Paris in his late teens. Couturier Jacques Fath hired Givenchy on the strength of his sketches. He spent two years learning the basics of fashion design, from sketching to cutting and fitting haute couture styles.
After apprenticing with other top names, Givenchy founded his own house in 1952.
His debut collection ushered in the concept of separates — tops and bottoms that could be mixed and matched, as opposed to head-to-toe looks that were the norm among Paris couture purveyors.
Working on a tight budget, Givenchy served up the floor-length skirts and country chic blouses in raw white cotton materials normally reserved for fittings.
“Le Grand Hubert,” as he was often called for his 6-foot, 5-inch (1.96 meters) frame, became popular with privileged haute couture customers, and his label soon seduced the likes of Gloria Guinness, Wallis Simpson and Empress Farah Pahlavi of Iran.
But the client whose name would become almost synonymous with the house was Audrey Hepburn, whom he met in 1953, when he dressed her for the romantic comedy “Sabrina.”
Legend has it that Givenchy — told only that Mademoiselle Hepburn would be coming in for a fitting — was expecting the grand Katharine Hepburn. Instead, the diminutive Audrey showed up, dressed in cigarette pants, a T-shirt and sandals.
Thus began a decades-long friendship that saw Givenchy dress the star in nearly a dozen films, including the 1961 hit “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The sleeveless black evening gown she wore in the movie, complete with rows of pearls, elbow-length gloves and oversized shades, would end up becoming Givenchy’s most famous look.
The French president’s office praised Givenchy as a designer whose name became an emblem for French elegance, with one principle: “to respect and celebrate the woman’s body.”
His classical approach eventually “led him to no longer see himself in more unstructured styles” taking over the fashion world, the Elysee Palace statement said.
“France loses a master, the Master of elegance, of creation, of invention,” the statement said, sharing the condolences of President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, to Givenchy’s companion and friends.
Aiming to reach a wider market, Givenchy launched a line of upscale ready-to-wear and accessories in the 1960s. Its commercial success soon enabled him to buy out his backers, making him one of only a handful of Paris couturiers to own their own label outright.
In 1988, he sold the house to French luxury conglomerate LVMH, the parent company of a stable of top fashion labels that now includes Dior, Celine, Marc Jacobs, Pucci and Kenzo.
Givenchy retired in 1995, and was succeeded by John Galliano, Alexander McQueen, Julien Macdonald, Italy’s Riccardo Tisci and its current chief designer, Clare Waight Keller, the first woman in the role.
Waight Keller, at the helm of the brand since last year, said in an Instagram post Monday she is “deeply saddened by the loss of a great man and artist I have had the honor to meet.”
“Not only was he one of the most influential fashion figures of our time, whose legacy still influences modern day dressing, but he also was one of the chicest most charming men I have ever met,” she wrote.
Bernard Arnault, CEO of LVMH, said he is “deeply saddened” by Givenchy’s death.
“He was among those designers who placed Paris firmly at the heart of world fashion post 1950 while creating a unique personality for his own fashion label,” according to a statement released by LVMH.
Givenchy is survived by his companion, French couturier Philippe Venet.
—Elaine Ganley in Paris contributed to this report.

By DREW WHITE & TRYFON BOUKOUVIDIS
LSU Manship School News Service
Gov. John Bel Edwards on Monday listed raising the minimum wage, enforcing equal pay for women and combating sexual harassment as some of his top priorities for the regular legislative session.
The governor’s remarks came in an address to the Legislature a week after the end of a failed special session he had called to replace expiring tax measures and ease a projected $1 billion budget shortfall.
Edwards began his address expressing disappointment that the session failed due to “distracting political games.”
“I know you haven’t been away for very long, but I hope that in the past week you have had time to rest and refocus on the work that we have ahead of us,” Edwards told members of the House and the Senate. “I do not want the roadblocks of the special session to hamper us from what’s most important – making life better for the people of this great state.”
Edwards said that increasing the minimum wage to $8.50 an hour over two years could curb Louisiana’s high poverty rate. Louisiana has the second highest poverty rate and is one of only five states not to have adopted a state minimum wage.
Employers in the state now adhere to the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour.
Edwards, the only Democratic governor in the Deep South, said he also supports the Louisiana Equal Pay Act, which would promote wage equity between genders. Currently, Louisiana “has the highest wage inequity in the country,” he said.
A female earns 66 cents for every dollar a male earns. But “she doesn’t get charged any less when she’s buying groceries for her family, and she shouldn’t get paid any less when she’s working the same job as a man every day,” Edwards added.
Ninety-one percent of Louisianans believe that an employer should pay men and women equally when they are doing the same job, according to LSU’s 2017 Louisiana Survey. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents believed that women still face more obstacles than men on their path to success.
Equal-pay legislation has consistently failed in the Louisiana Legislature, despite having the governor’s support. Last May, the House Labor and Industrial Relations Committee nullified bills that would have promoted transparency in wage discussions and equal pay for women.
Edwards also addressed the need to eliminate sexual harassment based on recommendations by a task force he had created to address the issue. The proposals include protecting the identity of individuals who report instances of sexual harassment and requiring annual sexual harassment training for all elected officials and public employees.
Every person “should be able to go to work each day without fear of sexual harassment or discrimination,” Edwards said. “I have said repeatedly that sexual harassment will not be tolerated in the state of Louisiana nor will we allow victims to feel bullied or silenced.”
Louisiana Secretary of State Tom Schedler was recently accused of sexual harassment in a lawsuit that claims he made repeated sexual advances toward an employee and then retaliated against her after she rejected him. Edwards has called for Schedler to resign.
Edwards will support legislation that would require hazing prevention education in the wake of LSU freshman Max Gruver’s death by alcohol poisoning after an alleged hazing incident last year. “Arming students with the knowledge to identify and report instances of hazing could save a life down the road,” he suggested.
He said he also supports legislation that would expand efforts to end childhood hunger in Louisiana, where one in four children live in poverty, allow teachers to get tenure if they have “effective” or “highly effective” ratings for 5 out of 6 years, and enhance school safety.
The governor also urged the Legislature to create a commission that would help small businesses stay competitive by loosening certain regulations that have made Louisiana one of the worst states for convoluted licensing requirements. He said small businesses constitute 99.5 percent of all businesses in Louisiana and employ more than half of the state’s private workforce.
Several Republicans said during the special session that some GOP House members did not want to compromise with Edwards and help him solve the budget problems. Edwards, the only statewide elected Democrat in Louisiana, is up for re-election next year, and will be a top GOP target.
Rep. Marcus Hunter, D-Monroe, when asked if he thinks Republican legislators will work with Edwards, said: “The best predictor of the future is the past, but hopefully this new session brings a new opportunity for us to move forward and accomplish some goals that are in the best interest of Louisiana. We are here to find common ground.”
Rep. Barry Ivey, R-Baton Rouge, said he does not believe the Legislature will pass a budget. It is “extremely difficult to get enough support on that much in cuts,” he said. “It’s a lot of pain to spread around, and there’s not that many places to spread it besides higher ed and healthcare.” St. Mary Parish Sheriff Scott Anslum reported the following arrests:
Louis Bourque, 32, of 1507 Cross Road, Bayou Vista, was arrested Monday at 1:27 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of criminal neglect of family.
During booking at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, a corrections deputy located the active warrant for Bourque. Bail on the warrant is set at $33,483.
Angelo Giandelone Sr., 35, of 512 Lassus St., Patterson, was arrested Monday at 6:43 a.m. on a warrant for the charge of domestic abuse battery.
Deputies investigating a report of a disturbance at a residence in Calumet in February collected evidence that Giandelone pushed a female juvenile during an argument with another subject. Giandelone turned himself in at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. Giandelone was released on a $2,500 bond.
Matthew Freeman, 25, of 104 Live Oak St., Baldwin, was arrested Sunday at 1:06 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of no motor vehicle insurance.
During booking at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, a corrections deputy located the active warrant for Freeman. Freeman was released on a $500 bond.
Tamario Ulmer, 26, of 6190 Johns Road, Hueytown, Alabama, was arrested Sunday at 7:55 p.m. on two warrants for failure to appear on charges of aggravated assault with a firearm and aggravated criminal damage to property.
Ulmer was transported from another jail facility to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on the warrant. Bail is set at $40,000.
Dang Nguyen, 49, of 1309 Arbor Circle, Bayou Vista, was arrested Friday at 2:03 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on charges of vagrancy and remaining where forbidden and a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Nguyen was transported from the St. Tammany Parish jail to the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center on the warrants. Bail is set at $10,500.
Adrian Hardy, 36, of 112 Texaco St., Pierre Part, was arrested Friday at 9:22 a.m. on two warrants for failure to appear on drug and traffic related charges.
During booking at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, a corrections deputy located the active warrants for Hardy. Bail is set at $10,578.
Brock McClain, 36, of 1063 Whitney Drive, St. Martinville, was arrested Saturday at 5:25 p.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of simple battery.
McClain turned himself in at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center. McClain was released on a $5,000 bond.
Joseph Vice, 30, of 106 D Briarcliff Drive, Youngsville, was arrested Monday at 8:50 a.m. on a warrant for failure to appear on the charge of theft.
During booking at the St. Mary Parish Law Enforcement Center, a corrections deputy located the active warrant for Vice. Vice was released on a $1,500 bond.
Franklin Police Chief Sabria McGuire reported the following arrest:
Bobby Jackson, 30, of Welch Road, Franklin, was arrested Monday at 12:12 p.m. on a warrant for the charge of simple battery and a warrant for the St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office for the charge of simple assault. Jackson was booked, processed, and released on a $3,500 bond.