By Brian French | October 6, 2026
Quick Answer
Tallahassee employers must pay Florida’s $15.00 minimum wage ($11.98 for tipped workers) as of September 30, 2026, pay reemployment tax on the first $7,000 of each worker’s wages, display required state and federal posters, and follow Leon County’s human rights ordinance, which is broader than state law.
What Changed for Tallahassee Employers This Fall
Fall 2026 brought two milestones for employers in Florida’s capital. Florida’s minimum wage reached $15.00 an hour, the final step of the 2020 voter-approved schedule. And a 2024 state law took full effect, wiping out local “living wage” requirements tied to government contracts.
Tallahassee employers mostly follow Florida and federal law because the state preempts many local workplace rules. The key local exception is Leon County’s human rights ordinance, which adds protected categories beyond state law.
Florida Minimum Wage: The Trajectory
Current Rates
- Standard minimum wage: $15.00 per hour, effective September 30, 2026.
- Tipped employees: $11.98 per hour cash wage, based on the $15.00 minimum and a maximum $3.02 tip credit.
- Federal minimum wage: $7.25. Florida’s higher rate controls.
| Effective Date | Minimum Wage | Tipped Cash Wage |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 30, 2023 | $12.00 | $8.98 |
| Sept. 30, 2024 | $13.00 | $9.98 |
| Sept. 30, 2025 | $14.00 | $10.98 |
| Sept. 30, 2026 | $15.00 | $11.98 |
| Jan. 1, 2028 | Inflation-adjusted | Adjusted rate minus $3.02 |
What Happens Next
The scheduled $1 annual raises are over. Beginning in 2027, Florida will calculate an inflation adjustment on September 30 based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W), and the new rate takes effect January 1, 2028. That cycle then repeats every year.
Some payroll guides report a September 2027 increase. Employers should plan for the $15.00 rate to remain in place through December 31, 2027, and watch for FloridaCommerce’s announcement of the 2028 rate.
No Local Minimum Wage in Tallahassee
Florida preempts local minimum wages, so local governments cannot set a minimum wage for private employers. Under HB 433, as of September 30, 2026, local governments are also blocked from using contracts to require contractors to pay wages above state law. HB 433 also bars local governments from enacting predictive scheduling laws and from imposing heat exposure rules beyond state or federal requirements.
Overtime and Pay Rules
- Overtime: Florida follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act. Non-exempt employees earn 1.5 times their regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Florida has no daily overtime rule.
- Breaks: Florida does not require meal or rest breaks for adult employees. Special break rules apply to minors.
- Paid sick leave: Florida has no general state paid sick leave mandate.
- At-will employment: Employers may terminate employees for any lawful reason, absent a contract.
Florida Reemployment Tax Guidelines
Florida has no state personal income tax, so employers do not withhold state income tax. The main state payroll tax is reemployment tax, Florida’s name for unemployment insurance.
- Who pays: Employers only. It is employer-paid and cannot be deducted from employee wages.
- Wage base: The first $7,000 of each employee’s wages per year.
- New employer rate: 2.7%, or about $189 per employee per year, generally for the first 10 quarters.
- Experience rates: After that, rates range from 0.1% to 5.4% based on layoff history, or $7 to $378 per employee.
- Filing: Form RT-6 quarterly returns are due April 30, July 31, October 31, and January 31.
| Employer Status | Rate | Annual Cost Per Employee |
|---|---|---|
| New employer | 2.7% | $189 |
| Best experience rate | 0.1% | $7 |
| Worst experience rate | 5.4% | $378 |
Tip: Because the wage base is only $7,000, most reemployment tax is paid in the first quarter of each year. Keeping layoffs and benefit charges low is the main way to cut your rate over time.
Hiring Requirements
E-Verify
Since July 1, 2023, private employers with 25 or more employees must use E-Verify for new hires, and must certify compliance on their reemployment tax return. Public employers and their contractors must also use it.
A bill to extend E-Verify to all private employers regardless of size passed the Florida House 80-30 in January 2026 but died in the Senate Rules Committee in March 2026. It was the second year the House approved the measure, so employers with fewer than 25 workers should expect it to return in the 2027 session. Some online guides incorrectly report that it became law.
New Hire Reporting
Report new hires to the Florida New Hire Reporting Center within 20 days. Florida also requires reporting of certain independent contractors.
Form I-9
All employers must complete federal Form I-9 for every new hire, regardless of E-Verify status.
Workers’ Compensation
Florida generally requires workers’ compensation coverage for non-construction employers with four or more employees and construction employers with one or more. Confirm thresholds for your industry with your carrier.
Anti-Discrimination Laws in Leon County
Tallahassee employers face three layers of anti-discrimination law:
- Federal law: Title VII, the ADA, and the ADEA generally apply to employers with 15 or more employees (20 or more for age).
- Florida Civil Rights Act: Covers employers with 15 or more employees.
- Leon County Human Rights Ordinance: Chapter 9 of the Leon County Code prohibits employment discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, familial status, sex, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or pregnancy.
The county ordinance protects categories, such as marital status, that state law does not explicitly cover. Review the ordinance’s coverage rules with counsel to confirm whether it applies to your business size.
Noncompete Agreements: The CHOICE Act
Florida is now one of the most employer-friendly states for noncompetes. The CHOICE Act, effective July 1, 2025, allows covered noncompete and garden leave agreements to last up to four years, double the traditional two-year presumption.
- Who is covered: Employees earning more than twice the annual mean wage in the county where the employer has its principal place of business.
- Who is excluded: Health care practitioners.
- Enforcement: Courts must issue an injunction unless the employee proves by clear and convincing evidence the agreement does not apply or that consideration was not paid.
The CHOICE Act supplements, not replaces, Florida’s traditional noncompete statute. Most agreements for lower-wage workers remain under existing law.
Mandatory Workplace Postings
Post these notices where employees can see them, and update the minimum wage poster each year.
Florida State Posters
- Florida Minimum Wage notice: Updated poster reflecting $15.00 and $11.98.
- Reemployment Assistance Program Law (Form RT-83).
- Workers’ Compensation notice (“Broken Arm” poster).
- Workers’ Compensation Fraud notice.
- Florida Child Labor Law poster: Required if you employ minors.
- Florida discrimination notice.
Federal Posters
- FLSA Minimum Wage and Overtime.
- EEOC “Know Your Rights.”
- OSHA Job Safety and Health.
- FMLA: Employers with 50 or more employees.
- USERRA and Employee Polygraph Protection Act.
Remote employees should receive notices electronically.
Tallahassee Employer Compliance Checklist
- Update payroll to $15.00 standard and $11.98 tipped for hours worked on or after September 30, 2026.
- Replace your minimum wage poster with the current FloridaCommerce version.
- Confirm your reemployment tax rate and file RT-6 returns quarterly.
- Enroll in E-Verify if you have 25 or more employees, and prepare if you are smaller.
- Report new hires within 20 days.
- Review handbooks for Leon County’s expanded protected categories.
- Audit noncompetes for highly paid employees under the CHOICE Act.
- Verify workers’ compensation coverage meets your industry threshold.
Brian’s Take
For Tallahassee employers, the $15 milestone matters less than the competition for talent. State government, Florida State, FAMU, Tallahassee Community College, and the health systems set much of the local pay scale, so many private employers were already paying above minimum wage to compete. The biggest effect will be on restaurants, retail, and hospitality, where tipped wages just rose $1.
From a planning standpoint, the good news is predictability. After this year’s increase, the rate holds at $15.00 until January 2028, when inflation indexing begins. Employers can build 2027 budgets with confidence and then plan for modest annual adjustments.
Two items deserve watching in the 2027 legislative session. Universal E-Verify has passed the House twice, and small employers should prepare now rather than scramble later. And for professional firms in Tallahassee’s legal, lobbying, and technology sectors, the CHOICE Act creates real leverage to protect client relationships, but only if agreements are drafted to meet its strict requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Tallahassee?
Tallahassee follows the Florida minimum wage: $15.00 per hour and $11.98 for tipped employees, effective September 30, 2026. Local governments cannot set a higher minimum wage for private employers.
Will Florida’s minimum wage increase in 2027?
The $15.00 rate is expected to remain through December 31, 2027. Florida will calculate an inflation adjustment on September 30, 2027, which takes effect January 1, 2028.
What is the Florida reemployment tax rate for new employers?
New employers pay 2.7% on the first $7,000 of each employee’s wages, or about $189 per employee per year. Experience-based rates range from 0.1% to 5.4%.
Do small businesses in Tallahassee have to use E-Verify?
Private employers with 25 or more employees must use E-Verify. A 2026 bill to require it for all employers passed the House but died in the Senate.
What workplace posters are required in Florida?
Florida requires the state minimum wage notice, the Reemployment Assistance (RT-83) notice, the workers’ compensation notice, and a child labor poster if minors are employed, plus federal FLSA, EEOC, and OSHA posters.
Does Leon County have its own employment discrimination law?
Yes. Leon County’s Human Rights Ordinance prohibits employment discrimination based on categories including sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, and familial status, which go beyond state law.
Sources and Further Reading
- Florida’s $15 Minimum Wage: 2026 & 2027 Employer Guide — Fingercheck: https://fingercheck.com/payroll-software/florida-minimum-wage/
- Current Florida Minimum Wage — Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association: https://frla.org/minimum-wage/
- Florida Minimum Wage 2026 — Entrust Payroll: https://entrustpayroll.com/florida-minimum-wage-2026/
- Florida Minimum Wage 2026: $15 Rate Starts September 30 — CTR HCM: https://ctrhcm.com/blog/florida-minimum-wage-2026
- CS/CS/HB 433 Employment Regulations Analysis — Florida Senate: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2024/433/Analyses/h0433z1.RRS.PDF
- DeSantis Signs Bill Banning Local Heat Safety and Wage Laws — Orlando Weekly: https://www.orlandoweekly.com/news/its-unjust-florida-gov-desantis-signs-bill-banning-local-heat-safety-and-wage-laws-36620363/
- 2024 Florida Labor & Employment Year End Review — Lewis Brisbois: https://lewisbrisbois.com/newsroom/legal-alerts/2024-florida-labor-employment-year-end-review
- Florida Reemployment Tax Employer Guide — FloridaCommerce: https://floridajobs.org/docs/default-source/reemployment-assistance-center/employer-guides/20240101_employer_tax_charging_-onepager.pdf
- Florida Payroll Tax Guide for Employers (2026) — Miami Payroll Center: https://www.miamipayrollcenter.com/florida-payroll-tax-guide/
- Florida Reemployment Tax Guide — MLO Tax: https://mlotax.com/resources/state-business-taxes/florida-reemployment-tax
- HB 197 (2026) Employment Eligibility — Florida Senate: https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2026/197
- Florida’s Universal E-Verify Mandate Passes House Floor — Florida Phoenix: https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/01/15/floridas-universal-e-verify-mandate-passes-house-floor/
- Florida E-Verify Requirements — Paylocity: https://www.paylocity.com/resources/tax-compliance/alerts/florida-e-verify-requirements/
- Leon County Code Chapter 9, Human Rights — Municode: https://library.municode.com/fl/leon_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIICOOR_CH9HURI_ARTIVFAHO
- Florida Expands Rules Favoring Noncompetes — McDermott Will & Schulte: https://www.mcdermottlaw.com/insights/florida-expands-rules-favoring-noncompetes-while-other-states-limit-them-further/
- A Year Later, Florida’s CHOICE Act Remains a Game Changer — Shutts & Bowen: https://www.shutts.com/business-and-legal-insights/floridas-choice-act-remains-a-game-changer-for-employers
- Florida Labor Law Poster Compliance Guide for 2026 — Best Labor Law Posters: https://bestlaborlawposters.com/florida-labor-law-poster-compliance-guide-for-2026/
About the Author
