Your Rights with Florida’s Increased Minimum Wage
Beginning on September 30, 2025, Florida’s minimum wage will increase by $1.00 to $14.00 per hour. The following year, the minimum wage will increase by another $1.00 per hour, reaching $15.00 per hour on September 30, 2026. As the next increase in minimum wage approaches, it is important to understand your rights as a non-exempt employee in the Palm Beach Gardens area. In short, if you are not a tipped employee (where minimum wage is lower based on the assumption of tips being paid), you will be entitled to a wage increase this coming September. Our Palm Beach Gardens wage and hour attorneys can explain in more detail.
You Must Be Paid at Least the Minimum Wage
The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires that employees earn at least the stated minimum wage, and when a state’s minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage, the employee must be paid at the state’s minimum wage rate. Florida currently has a minimum wage of $13.00, but that will increase to $14.00 per hour on September 30.
In addition to earning the hourly minimum wage, the law also prohibits your employer from making deductions (even if the deductions are otherwise lawful) from your paycheck that would result in you earning less than the state minimum wage.
If You Are Paid the Hourly Minimum Wage, Your Pay Must Increase in September
What should you expect if you currently make the state minimum wage of $13.00 per hour? Your employer must increase your pay to at least $14.00 per hour beginning on September 30, 2025.
Employers Can Be Liable for Failing to Pay Minimum Wage
Non-exempt employees — that is, those who are typically paid on an hourly basis and are not in particular types of administrative, professional, sales, or related positions — must be paid at least the hourly minimum wage. When an employer fails to pay the minimum wage, they can be liable — whether they intended to underpay you or not. Wage theft is a serious issue, and multiple remedies may be available to you, including back pay.
Contact a Palm Beach Gardens Wage and Hour Lawyer Today for Help
Do you have questions about your rights under Florida’s minimum wage laws, or how you can ensure that you are paid fairly under state and federal law? If you are not currently being paid at least the minimum wage, you can likely move forward with a wage theft claim. Likewise, if your employer does not raise your hourly wage accordingly when the state’s minimum wage goes up, you will have a claim to make against the employer. In many cases, when you begin working with one of the experienced Palm Beach Gardens wage and hour attorneys at Sconzo Law Office, your employer will acknowledge their mistake and will take steps to comply with the law. And when employers intentionally engage in wage theft and refuse to take remedial action, we can assist you with a wage theft lawsuit. Contact us today for assistance.
Source:
dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state
