Tuesday morning, Florida's minimum wage jumps 12 cents, from $7.67 to $7.79. Florida Today reports that since 2004, the state's minimum wage has been constitutionally linked to increases in the cost of living - one of just 10 states with similar wage mandates.
The Florida Today story explains that the raise will affect a relatively small number of workers:
...only about 210,000 out of 7.4 million employed workers Florida workers will benefit from the increase. Most entry-level jobs are slightly above minimum wage, according to figures from WorkForce One, a federally funded organization that links employers with job seekers.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor, Florida's pre-raise minimum wage was eighth highest in the country. Included below is a list of the 10 highest minimum wages as of January 1, 2012.
- $9.04 - Washington
- $8.80 - Oregon
- $8.46 - Vermont
- $8.25 - Connecticut, Washington D.C., Illinois, Nevada
- $8.00 - California, Massachusetts
- $7.75 - Alaska
- $7.70 - Ohio
- $7.67 - Florida
- $7.65 - Arizona, Montana
- $7.64 - Colorado
Source: Department of Labor http://www.dol.gov/whd/minwage/america.htm#Consolidated
