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Florida Updates Its Minimum Wage for 2021

Florida-Beach-Photographed-By-joel-de-vriend
04
Oct

This week, Florida increased its minimum wage to $10.00 per hour. Florida is one of 24 states to give minimum wage workers a pay hike in 2021.

Florida had initially increased its minimum wage by 1 percent on January 1 to $8.65. Now it is increasing the minimum wage by 13.5 percent to $10 on September 30, thanks to voter approval of Amendment 2 in its November 2020 election.

Florida is the eighth state in the country to raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour. California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York have also raised their state minimum wage to the $15 per hour threshold.

Here’s what employers in Florida need to know about the new minimum wage law.

  1. What Is the New Florida Minimum Wage Requirement?

    1. Florida workers earning minimum wage received a pay raise this week. The new minimum wage of $10 per hour took effect on September 30, 2021. It is a $1.35 increase over the previous minimum wage of $8.65 per hour.
    2. The wage mandate applies to all public and private sector employers, regardless of size or number of employees.
    3. Florida voters approved the wage increase in the November 2020 general election, when Amendment 2 to the Florida Constitution passed. Amendment 2 provided for six annual minimum wage increases, to an eventual $15 per hour minimum wage, as follows:

      1. $10 on September 30, 2021

      2. $11 on September 30, 2022

      3. $12 on September 30, 2023

      4. $13 on September 30, 2024

      5. $14 on September 30, 2025

      6. $15 on September 30, 2026

  2. The changes amend Section 24 of Article X in the Florida Constitution.
    Starting September 30, 2027, the minimum wage rate in Florida will be adjusted annually for inflation. Florida’s Department of Economic Opportunity is required to calculate a minimum wage rate each year based on changes to the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the South Region.

  3. For tipped workers, the minimum cash wage rate for eligible tipped employees will increase to $6.98 per hour plus tips. These minimum cash wage rates will increase yearly as well:

    1. $6.98 on September 30, 2021
    2. $7.98 on September 30, 2022
    3. $8.98 on September 30, 2023
    4. $9.98 on September 30, 2024
    5. $10.98 on September 30, 2025
    6. $11.98 on September 30, 2026

*Florida employers may continue to take a tip credit of up to $3.02 per hour for properly classified tipped employees.

  1. Labor Law Posters Florida Employers Need to Post:

    1. Florida employers must display federal and Florida labor law posters that employees can easily view.
    2. This is the second poster update for Florida employers in 2021. Since May 2021, Florida employers have been required to post a new Florida Workers’ Compensation Poster that informs employees that the employer has workers’ compensation coverage. This poster was updated with a new Florida Division of Insurance Fraud web address for reporting suspected insurance fraud.

Our Florida labor law poster includes these new notices plus other mandatory Florida labor law notices. Sign up now for our 1-Year Compliance Plan, and you’ll receive regular updates and never miss out on any new posting requirements and updates.