How not to get fined as Florida’s minimum wage increases in 2025

October 1, 2025

As of September 30, 2025, Florida’s minimum wage has increased to $14 per hour for non-tipped employees and $10.98 for tipped workers.

Many believe it’s a significant step toward the $15 target set for 2026 by the state’s 2020 constitutional amendment. This Florida minimum wage increase has compelled HR professionals across industries to update their payroll systems and ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

To help employers, we’ve created a concise and actionable checklist to address key questions like, “What is Florida’s minimum wage in 2025?”.

Why the $14 minimum wage in Florida matters now

The recent increase in minimum wage in Florida affects over 1 million workers. It’ll particularly provide a financial boost to workers in hospitality, retail and gig industries. While the state hasn’t hit $15 hike per hour yet, it’s slated for September 30, 2026, with annual inflation adjustments thereafter.

For now, the 2025 minimum wage increase demands immediate HR actions in order to maintain compliance and support employees. Here’s what you need to do to integrate the new change.

HR compliance checklist for Florida’s minimum wage increase

There are plenty of things to cover in order to make this transition smoother for employees. First things first:

Update payroll systems for $14 minimum wage increase in Florida

HR professionals will need to adjust payroll software to reflect Florida’s 2025 minimum wage of $14 per hour for non-tipped employees and $10.98 for tipped workers. Both, the FLSA and Florda law require accurate wage payments as errors can lead to fines up to $1,000 per violation or employee lawsuits.

Tip: Use tools like ADP or QuickBooks to catch glitches on payroll system.

Verify tipped employee compliance

Employers will need to ensure that tipped employees earn at least $14 an hour when combining the $10.98 base wage with tips. The minimum wage in Florida for tipped workers relies on trip credits. However, employers must cover any shortfall in order to meet the $14 floor.

Tip: Use a tip-reporting template and train supervisors to monitor compliance.

Post updates wage notices

As required by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, it is imperative to display the 2025 Florida minimum wage notice in break rooms and online employees portals. Failure to post notices may result in penalties.

Tip: Download the official notice from the Florida DEO website and distribute digital copies via email to remote workers by October 10, 2025.

Audit overtime calculations

Employers will need to recalculate overtime rates for non-exempt employees working over 40 hours per week. The Florida minimum wage increase raises overtime costs that’ll impact budgeting for small businesses employing 60% of the state’s low-wage workforce.

Tip: Use a spreadsheet to project overtime costs for Q4 2025 and train staff to minimize overtime reliance.

Communicate changes to employees

Send a company-wide email notifying the Florida minimum wage increase and its impact on paychecks. This transparency will help boost morale.

Tip: Include an FAQ addressing “Is Florida’s minimum wage $15 an hour?” in order to clarify the $14 rate and 2026 timeline.

Why act on the Florida minimum wage increase now?

It’s clear that non-compliance may risk DOL audits, employee grievances or reputation damage across the company. By following this simple checklist, employers can turn compliance into an opportunity to build transparency and trust.