Florida workers will see bigger paychecks starting Tuesday (September 30), as the state’s minimum wage rises to $14 an hour for non-tipped employees and $10.98 an hour for tipped workers.
The increase is part of a voter-approved amendment passed in 2020 that gradually raises the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by September 30, 2026. Since 2021, the rate has gone up by $1 each year on September 30:
Once the wage reaches $15, future increases will be tied to inflation.
Before the amendment passed, Florida’s minimum wage was $8.56 an hour. The latest increase puts Florida nearly double the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which has not risen since 2009. At $14 an hour, the state ties with Hawaii for the 17th-highest minimum wage in the US.
Impact on tipped workers
Employers of tipped workers may count tips toward wages up to $3.02, under federal rules. That means the direct cash wage employers must pay is the state minimum wage minus $3.02.
Enforcement and worker protections
Florida’s constitution protects workers’ rights to file complaints if employers fail to comply with the law. Businesses found violating minimum wage requirements may face fines of $1,000 per violation.
National context
While Florida moves toward a $15 wage, 14 states still follow the federal minimum of $7.25, and five states — Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, and Tennessee — have no state minimum wage law.
