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Happening Tomorrow: Florida Voters to Consider $15/Hour Statewide Wage Rate

 

Tomorrow, voters in Florida will consider a ballot initiative, Amendment 2, that would raise the hourly minimum wage rate in the state from $8.56/hour to $15/hour by 2026.

In what is expected to be one of the most contested swing states in this year’s Presidential election (where voter turnout will be critical), this is one of the more intriguing employment law related ballot measures pending this November.  If approved, the statewide hourly pay rate would rise to $10/hour next September and then increase by $1/year until 2026.  Beginning in 2027, consumer prices would determine annual wage rate increases.

Now bear in mind that Amendment 2 requires at least 60% approval to pass.  In the past few months, polls have shown support slipping for Amendment 2’s passage.  Back in September, there was a reported 67% approval for the measure whereas the end of October found approximately 63% support.  Of course, these pre election polls are not definitive but they do indicate that the final tally might be closer than what many might have thought a few months ago.

It is worth considering what impact the coronavirus pandemic will have on Amendment 2.  When this ballot initiative was placed on the ballot back in December, the coronavirus pandemic was not on the radar for many voters.  However, in a state where theme parks and tourist related businesses create a great number of the jobs available (and often include a lot of minimum wage jobs), the coronavirus pandemic has wrecked a lot of those industries.  Whether voters in the state will have the appetite to approve a minimum wage hike while these industries continue to struggle to get by is an open question.

Amendment 2 might just come down to the wire.  Stay tuned.


For additional information:  https://www.wsj.com/articles/florida-to-vote-on-raising-minimum-wage-to-15-11604253600

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