Effective January 1, 2014, Florida’s minimum wage will increase from the current rate of $7.79 to $7.93 per hour. Each year, the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity must recalculate Florida’s minimum wage based upon the increase in the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Earners and Clerical Workers in the Southern Region. Based upon the calculation, the minimum wage will increase to $7.93 an hour.
Employers of tipped employees, who meet eligibility requirements for the tip credit under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, may count tips actually received as wages under the Florida minimum wage law. However, the employer must pay tipped employees a direct wage. The direct wage is calculated as equal to the minimum wage ($7.93) minus the 2003 tip credit ($3.02), or a direct hourly wage of $4.91, effective January 1, 2014.
Florida’s minimum wage statute requires employers to post a minimum wage notice in a conspicuous and accessible place in each establishment where employees work. The minimum wage posting is in addition to wage and hour postings under federal law. Florida minimum wage posters in English and Spanish are available by clicking on the highlighted links.
For companies with employees outside the State of Florida, the federal minimum wage remains $7.25 per hour. You should verify that no state or local wage law requires payment of a minimum wage greater than the federal minimum wage.
