Total Articles: 11
Florida Minimum Wage Rate Increases to $7.67 Effective January 1, 2012
Executive Summary: Florida's minimum wage rate increases to $7.67 per hour, effective January 1, 2012. Because this is higher than the current federal minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour, covered employers will be required to comply with the higher state minimum wage.
Increase In Minimum Wage Is On The Way
The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity announced that the Florida minimum wage will increase to $7.67 per hour effective January 1, 2012. This is an increase from Florida's current minimum wage of $7.31 per hour, which became effective June 1, 2011, in response to a Florida Circuit Court decision issued earlier this year. Florida's minimum wage is generally recalculated yearly on September 30, based on the Consumer Price Index.
Florida’s Minimum Wage to Increase on January 1, 2012
On November 2, 2004, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment that created Florida’s minimum wage. The minimum wage applies to all employees in the state who are covered by the federal minimum wage. Florida law requires a new minimum wage calculation each year on September 30, based on the Consumer Price Index. If that calculation is higher than the federal rate, the state’s rate then would take effect the following January.
Florida Minimum Wage Increases to $7.31 Effective June 1, 2011
Effective June 1, 2011, Florida's minimum wage will increase to $7.31 per hour. Because this is higher than the current federal minimum wage rate, covered employers will be required to comply with the higher state minimum wage.
New State Minimum Wage Goes Into Effect June 1
A Florida circuit court judge in Tallahassee on May 3 ordered state officials to recalculate the minimum wage to $7.31 per hour for 2011, after finding that the state violated the Florida Constitution by reducing the rate because of deflation (Cadet v. Agency for Workforce Innovation, Fla. Cir. Ct., No. 2011-CA-0072, 5/3/11). In a two-page order, Judge Terry P. Lewis of the Florida Circuit Court, Second Judicial Circuit, also ordered the Agency for Workforce Innovation to publish a notice of the hike and enjoined the state agency from “continuing to withhold” the greater rate.
Florida Employers Face Mid-Year Minimum Wage Increase
In response to a recent Circuit Court decision, the State of Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation (AWI) has announced that, effective June 1, 2011, the Florida minimum wage will increase to $7.31 per hour. With this increase, Florida will once again exceed the federal minimum wage, and employers operating within the State will be required to comply with the higher standar
Miami-Dade County Enacts "Wage Theft" Ordinance.
Miami-Dade has become the first county in the nation to adopt a countywide wage theft law, although it likely will not be the last. The Ordinance, which became effective on March 1, 2010, applies to private sector employees and employers, prohibits wage theft, and provides administrative procedures and private causes of action. An employer found to be in violation of the wage theft Ordinance will be required to pay the actual administrative processing and hearing costs as well as restitution to the employee, which would include back wages owed as well as liquidated damages of double that amount and possibly treble damages.
Florida Employers Must Comply with Increased Federal Minimum Wage Rate.
As most employers are aware, the federal minimum wage rate will increase to $7.25 per hour on July 24, 2009. Currently, the state minimum wage rate in Florida is $7.21 per hour. However, because federal law requires that businesses comply with the higher of state or federal minimum wage rates, on July 24, Florida employers will be required to comply with the higher federal rate of $7.25 per hour.
Florida Employers Face Two Increases in Minimum Wage in 2009.
On January 1, 2009, the minimum wage in Florida will be rising to $7.21 per hour. This represents an hourly increase of $0.42 over the current Florida minimum wage of $6.79. The rise in the Florida minimum wage is a result of the Florida Minimum Wage Amendment passed by Florida voters in November 2004 which initially set the minimum wage at $6.15 per hour and calls for annual increases tied to the rate of inflation. This minimum wage applies to all employees eligible to receive the federal minimum wage.
Florida Employers Must Display Minimum Wage Poster Effective January 1, 2007.
Effective January 1, 2007, Florida's minimum wage will increase to $6.67 per hour and employers who are required to pay the Florida minimum wage must prominently display a poster containing the Florida minimum wage. Florida's minimum wage poster can be downloaded in English and Spanish from the Agency for Workforce Innovation's webpage.
Florida Minimum Wage Increases to $6.67 in 2007.
Effective January 1, 2007, Florida's minimum wage will increase to $6.67 per hour. Currently, the state minimum wage is $6.40 per hour. (The current federal minimum wage is $5.15 per hour.) The increase has been made in accordance with the Florida Constitution's provision establishing a minimum wage, which provides for an annual cost of living adjustment to be made to the minimum wage on September 30 of every year, to become effective January 1 of the following year. The Agency for Workforce Innovation makes this calculation, which is based on the federal consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers in the South Region for the 12-month period prior to September 1, 2006.
