Under the Florida Minimum Wage Act, the Department of Economic Opportunity is required to calculate an adjusted state minimum wage rate by increasing the state’s minimum wage, when applicable, by the rate of inflation for the 12 months prior to September 1.
In calculating the adjusted state minimum wage, the Department of Economic Opportunity uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, not seasonally adjusted, for the South Region as calculated by the United States Department of Labor.
Due to a low inflation rate in Florida during the last four months of 2014 and the first eight months of 2015 the statutory automatic wage increase provision was not triggered for 2016.
Accordingly, the Florida state minimum wage will remain at $8.05 an hour, continuing to supersede the lower federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, which also is not changing for 2016, within the state.
Even though there will be no change in the state minimum wage, employers need to replace the Florida minimum wage notice in their workplaces. The revised notice is specific to 2016 and has an effective date clearly labeled as January 1, 2016.
