Florida Minimum Wage 2025: If you’re working in Florida, your paycheck is going up every year thanks to a change that voters approved back in 2020. This law made sure that the state’s minimum wage increases slowly and steadily until it hits $15 an hour by 2026.
The way it works is pretty simple it goes up by $1 every year, and that new rate always kicks in on September 30. It started in 2021, when the minimum wage went from $8.56 to $10. Then, each year after that, it kept rising by a dollar. By September 2024, it reached $13 an hour. This steady growth is meant to help workers afford basic needs and live a better life.
But it’s not just for workers who earn hourly pay. Even if you earn tips at work, like in restaurants or bars, your base wage is going up too. The law says tipped workers must also get yearly raises in their base pay. This helps make sure that they don’t fall behind, even if tips vary a lot.
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If you work for tips, it’s important to keep track of what your boss is paying you. You can check your paystubs or receipts to make sure you’re getting at least the legal base wage for tipped workers. If something doesn’t seem right, talk to your union or someone in your community who knows about worker rights. It also helps to keep records in case your job gets reviewed or inspected.
Minimum wage increase schedule until 2026
- Until September 30, 2024: the minimum wage was $12.00/h.
- From September 30, 2024: increased to $13.00/h, while the minimum wage for tipped workers rose to $9.98/h.
- Upcoming event: September 30, 2025 minimum wage increase to $14.00/h, with a tipped minimum of $10.98/h.
- Final goal: by September 30, 2026, the minimum wage will reach $15.00/h, and tipped workers will receive $11.98/h.
- After 2026, adjustments will continue according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to protect your purchasing power.
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Florida Stands Out with Higher Wages
- Better purchasing power: With $14/h or $15/h, many families will be able to cover essential expenses more easily than before.
- Protection against inflation: the minimum wage indexed after 2026 will safeguard your real income.
- Boost to the labor market: companies and workers will have more economic stability and less turnover.
While the federal minimum wage is still stuck at $7.25 per hour and hasn’t changed in years, Florida’s is already way above that. By the time September 2025 comes, Florida’s minimum wage will be nearly double the federal rate. This puts Florida ahead of many other states and shows that it’s trying to make life a little easier for the people who live and work there.
