Florida Judges May Not Connect With Lawyers Online
As I wrote a few years ago, judges in Florida may not be Facebook friends with any lawyer who may appear before the judge. (Opinion 2009-20, Nov. 17, 2009). Last month, the Florida Judicial Ethics Advisory Committee made clear that this prohibition extends beyond Facebook. In Opinion Number 2012-12, issued on May 9, 2012, the Committee opined that a judge may not be “connected” to lawyers who may appear before him on any social-networking site—including LinkedIn. The inquiring judge had posited that Facebook and LinkedIn have distinctly different purposes—one for personal use and one for professional use. Therefore, the inquiring judge asked, shouldn’t there be different standards for judges’ use of the two sites?
The Florida Employer Spring 2012
A bulletin on employment, labor, benefits, and immigration law.
Florida Aims for Mandatory Drug Testing
On Friday, March 9, the Florida Senate passed legislation allowing state agency heads to randomly test employees for illegal drug use. The bill, House Bill 1205, has already been passed by the House and will be sent to Governor Rick Scott, who is expected to sign it. The bill passed the state senate by a 26-14 vote.
Florida Healthcare Providers See Dramatic Rise in Organizing Activity Posted on February 23rd, 2012
Traditionally, public opinion and worker sentiment made labor organizing an uphill struggle in Florida, but 2011 saw a significant increase in the numbers of newly-unionized healthcare workers. The gains were made by two unions in particular: (1) National Nurses United (NNU) reported that it enrolled 5,000 Florida nurses during 2011; and (2) the Florida chapter of the Service Employees International Union, known as 1199 SEIU, reported that it unionized 18 new Florida hospitals, gaining more than 6,000 new members in the past year.
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.
Important Changes to Florida's Unemployment Compensation Law
Executive Summary: Florida Governor Rick Scott has signed new unemployment compensation legislation broadening the meaning of misconduct and adding additional requirements claimants must meet to be eligible for unemployment compensation benefits.
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.
