As of January 1, 2015, the minimum wage hourly earning in Florida has increased to $8.05 per hour from the previous $7.93 earned per hour in the prior year. The raise in minimum wage also benefits “tipped employees” who have increased their hourly earnings to $5.03 per hour from the previous $4.91 earned the previous year. This is considering that these “tipped employees” are earning at least minimum wage under the Fair Labor Standards Act or “FLSA” between their hourly earnings and tips.
As part of the increase in Florida’s hourly wage, employers are also required to post notice of the increase to their employees in a conspicuous area, easy accessible to their employees. Employers can receive a copy of the notice free of charge directly from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity Website at http://www.floridajobs.org and is available in both English and Spanish. Employers must also keep in mind that they are also responsible for posting notice of Federal Minimum Wage requirements which can also be found online at http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/flsa.htm and is available in nine different languages.
Considering the changes in minimum wages, Employers should reevaluate their pay practices to ensure full compliance with both state and federal wage laws. Accurate timekeeping methods are crucial as violations of the FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) may result in payment of all alleged back wages along with liquidated damages and attorneys’ fees and cost. Fortunately, wage and hour disputes may be avoided if employers take proactive measures to ensure adherence to state and federal wage and hour laws. Please contact the Law Office of Danz & Kronengold P.L. , so that we may assess your current pay practices and if necessary, guide you through the process of ensuring adherence to state and federal wage and hour laws.
