This Monday marks the start of a new minimum wage increase in Florida. The minimum pay rate will rise from $12 to $13 per hour, while tipped workers will see their wages go from $8.98 to $9.89 per hour. This initiative, adopted by several states across the nation, is part of the U.S. Department of Labor's (USDL) strategy to help workers cope with annual inflation and the rising cost of living through a gradual wage increase plan.
In Florida, another wage hike is scheduled for September 2025, bringing the minimum wage to $14 per hour. Tipped workers will receive an increase to $10.89 per hour. By 2026, the minimum wage in Florida is expected to reach $15 per hour for all workers.
Florida's Progressive Wage Increase Plan
In November 2020, 60% of Florida voters approved an amendment to progressively raise the state's minimum wage. Since the approval of Amendment 2 to the state constitution, Florida's minimum wage has increased by one dollar each year, with adjustments based on inflation starting in 2027.
Employers are mandated to pay their employees the state minimum wage for all hours worked. Workers who do not receive the mandated minimum wage have the right to file a civil action against their employer or any individual violating Florida's minimum wage law. The amendment states that the $15 per hour wage will remain effective until December 31, 2027, with inflation-based increases commencing in 2028.
Ensuring Wages Keep Pace with Inflation
This staggered increase aims to continually improve the income of Florida's workers, ensuring their wages retain value against inflation and the cost of living in the state. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour has remained unchanged since 2009, yet over 30 states have set their minimum wages higher than this federal rate.
In 2019 alone, 22 states in the U.S. raised their minimum wages. Prior to the November 2020 vote that approved Florida's gradual wage increase, the last time Floridians voted to raise the state's minimum wage was in 2005, when it was increased from $5.15 to $6.15 per hour.