Later this year, Florida's minimum wage will go up another dollar on its way to $15 an hour for non-tipped workers.

If the Florida Legislature passes SB 676 , people working in apprenticeships, internships or work-study programs could choose to waive that.

“Because the minimum wage was so high I saw a lot of young students, teenagers missing out on opportunities like we (had),” said state Sen. Jonathan Martin, R-Fort Myers, who is sponsoring the bill.

Critics said companies could abuse the law by labeling all entry-level jobs as “apprenticeships” or “internships.”

What does SB 676, Minimum Wage Requirements do?

The Florida Constitution requires all employers to pay the state minimum wage, with some exceptions.

“But it does not require employees to accept that amount if they choose to waive that right," Martin said . "This bill would allow employees, through a framework, to waive that right if they so choose."

The bill would allow employees who participate in structured work-study, internship, pre-apprenticeship, apprenticeship programs, or similar work-based learning opportunities to check a box or supply written, signed acknowledgement when applying for a job to say they were willing to be paid less than Florida’s current $13 per hour.

An amendment to the bill added in the Senate Commerce and Tourism Committee would first require parental or guardian approval for workers under 18 years of age.

Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, R-Belleview, filed a companion bill, HB 541 .

What is the Fair Labor Standards Act?

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) in 1938 created federal standards for minimum wage, overtime, child labor and records. The current federal minimum wage of $7.25 was set in 2009 and has not risen since, although many states (including Florida) have raised their state minimum wage amounts to reflect the rising cost of living.

There is also a variety of occupations and situations where the Department of Labor allows exemptions to the federal minimum wage law, including: executive positions, commissioned sales employees, farm workers, seasonal or recreational establishment workers, federal criminal investigators, informal workers such as babysitters, minors under certain circumstances, student workers, employees with disabilities if the employer has a certificate from the Department of Labor allowing it, nonprofit or educational organizations that have applied for an exemption, employes of businesses or organizations with less than $50,000 annual gross income, and more.

What is the minimum wage in Florida? When does it go up again?

In 2004, Florida voters chose to amend the state constitution to establish a state minimum wage "to provide a decent and healthy life for them and their families, that protects their employers from unfair low-wage competition, and that does not force them to rely on taxpayer-funded public services in order to avoid economic hardship."

Sixteen years later, voters approved an amendment to gradually raise the state minimum wage ever year, starting at $10 an hour and raising another dollar until it reaches $15 an hour in 2026. After that, the state Department of Commerce the state will return to the previous method of calculating cost-of-living adjustments tied to the Consumer Price Index.

Florida minimum wage is currently $13 an hour for non-tipped employees and $9.98 for tipped employees. On Sept. 30, 2025, both those rates will go up another dollar.

What is the living wage in Florida?

The minimum wage is different from a living wage , however, which tries to calculate how much a person needs to earn per hour to afford the necessities — housing, childcare, health care, food, etc. — where they live.

In February, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) living wage calculator found that the living wage in Florida is $23.41 an hour for one adult with no children, $38.72 for an adult with one child, $47.53 for an adult with two children and $59.64 for an adult with three children.

When would SB 676 take effect?

If the bill passes and Gov. Ron DeSantis signs it, the bill would take effect on July 1, 2025.