FLORIDA MINIMUM WAGE WILL BE $12.00 AN HOUR STARTING SEPTEMBER 30TH

Under an amendment to the Florida Constitution that was approved by voters in 2020, the Florida minimum wage increases by a dollar each September 30th until the minimum wage reaches $15 an hour in 2026.

Effective September 30, 2023, the Florida minimum wage is $12 an hour. All employees must be paid at least this amount. Tipped employees can be paid less than $12 an hour if they receive at least $3.02 an hour in tips from customers. Employers can take a tip credit of $3.02 per hour towards meeting the $12 minimum wage obligation for tipped employees.

The minimum cash wage that employers must pay tipped employees is $8.98 starting September 30, 2023. This is the tip credit of $3.02 per hour subtracted from the minimum wage of $12 an hour. If the tipped employee does not receive at least $12 an hour when the $8.98 cash wage from the employer is added to the tips the employee receives, the employer must pay the difference to make sure the employee is paid at least $12 an hour.

Florida businesses are required to post a current Florida minimum wage poster, even if all employees are paid more than the minimum wage. We have mailed you a new Florida minimum wage poster with the hard copy of this newsletter. Please post it at your workplace where employees can see it.

Additional copies of this poster are free for FUBA members. You can print additional posters from the Publications section of our website or you can request additional color copies by emailing us at FUBA@fuba.org.

FUBA MEMBERS WILL RECEIVE FREE UPDATED ALL-IN-ONE POSTERS

One of the most valuable benefits of your company’s FUBA membership is a free subscription to the federal and state employment posters that small businesses must display at their workplace. FUBA also provides free updates to all members if any of the panels change.  As long as you maintain your FUBA membership, you can rely on us sending you updated posters at no charge.

Note:  Other posters may be required by your specific industry, if your business hires employees under 18, or if you have 50 or more employees.

The panels included on FUBA’s All-in-One poster are:

  • Employee Rights under the Fair Labor Standards Act (4/23 version)
  • Employee Rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (5/22 version)
  • Workplace Discrimination is Illegal (EEOC) (6/27/23 version)
  • Florida Law Prohibits Discrimination (undated version)
  • Job Safety and Health – It’s the Law (OSHA) (2019 version)
  • Workers’ Comp Works for You (5/21 version)
  • Florida Reemployment Assistance Law (7/23 version)
  • Employee Rights under the Employee Polygraph Protection Act (2/22 version)

Small businesses are also required to display the Florida minimum wage poster, which FUBA sends to all members every September (it is included with this newsletter).  This poster is not part of the large All-in-One because it changes every year.      

We have revised our All-in-One posters to reflect changes to three of the panels:

  • Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act: updated by PUMP Act that protects employees who are nursing
  • Workplace Discrimination is Illegal: updated by the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
  • Florida Reemployment Assistance: updated due to the name change from Department of Economic Opportunity to Department of Commerce

We are in the process of mailing all current FUBA members an updated All-in-One poster with these changes.  Members who are insured with our workers’ comp insurance program will receive their new poster the month their insurance policy is renewed. 

If you are a FUBA member and have questions about which posters are required at your workplace, please call the FUBA offices at 800-262-4483 and ask for Karen or Mallory or email us at FUBA@fuba.org.

TOOLS ARE EXEMPT SEPTEMBER 2ND THROUGH 8TH

Florida’s “Tool Time” Sales Tax Holiday begins on Saturday, September 2nd and ends on Friday, September 8th. During this week, sales tax will not be charged on many items used in the construction trades.

Here is a list of items that will be tax-free during the Tool Time Sales Tax Holiday.  Please note:  the sales tax holiday only applies to sales of these items; it does not apply to rentals of these items.

  • Work gloves selling for $25 or less
  • Duffle bags, fuel cans, hand tools, rakes, shovels, LED flashlights, protective coveralls, safety glasses, and tote bags selling for $50 or less
  • Toolboxes and hearing protection selling for $75 or less
  • Electrical voltage and testing equipment, hard hats and other head protection, shop lights, and tool belts selling for $100 or less
  • Industry code books and textbooks selling for $125 or less
  • Drain opening tools, handheld pipe cutters, plumbing inspection equipment, and power tool batteries selling for $175 or less
  • Work boots selling for $175 or less
  • Power tools and toolboxes for vehicles selling for $300 or less

If your business needs to purchase any of these items, the sales tax holiday may be a good time to do so. If your business sells any of these items, do not collect sales tax on them during the Sales Tax Holiday and report sales of tax-free items as exempt sales on your next Florida sales tax filing after the tax holiday. 

For more information, please visit the Florida Department of Revenue’s website.