Human Resource Blog

Florida Minimum Wage

	Compensation
Employee Payroll Action Form W-4 Employee Withholding Allowance Cert. Employee Payroll Status/Change Form Direct Deposit Form Total Compensation Summary

	Labor Laws
Complete State & Federal Labor Law Posters 1 Year Compliance Protection Plan State ONLY Labor Law Posters Federal Labor Law Posters

What’s the Florida minimum wage for 2008?

The minimum wage in Florida went up 12 cents an hour on January 1, 2008. That puts the new hourly rate at $6.79.

Employers who are covered by either the federal or the Florida minimum wage law must display a minimum wage poster. That poster must be in a “conspicuous and accessible” location in any establishment where an employee works. Florida law requires that both state and federal posters must be updated each time there is a change in the rate.

Florida’s rate changes on January 1 of each year, while the federal rate changes each July 24. So employers should have updated their state posters by now, and be prepared to update the federal poster this coming July 24.

Florida’s minimum wage increases by a different amount each year, depending on a regional cost of living index. The state pegs its rate to the consumer price index of the South Region for a 12-month period ending September 1 of each year.

The most recent price index increase was 1.85%, resulting in the 12 cent an hour hike effective January 1 of 2008. Compare that to the 27 cent an hour increase effective the previous year, on January 1, 2007.

This annual cost of living increase was approved by Florida voters. The Florida Agency for Workforce Innovation sets the minimum wage each October 15 under that constitutional amendment approved by the voters.

Florida’s law allows employees to sue their employers if they do not receive the minimum wage. That same law authorizes the state attorney general to take action against employers who violate minimum wage laws.

As is the case with all states, those employees who are covered by both federal and state statute receive whichever minimum wage rate is higher.

Employees who receive tips are an exception to the rule. Wages for tipped employees became $3.77 an hour on January 1, 2008. But if the employee earns less than $3.02 an hour in tips – the difference between the $3.77 and the current minimum wage of $679 an hour – the employer must make up the difference. JH