Miami Labor Law

As of 2021, there were approximately 147,000 registered businesses in the city of Miami, according to data from the Florida Department of State Division of Corporations. These businesses operate in a wide range of industries, including finance, tourism, healthcare, real estate, and construction. One of the key labor laws in Miami is the Florida Minimum Wage Act, which mandates that employers pay their employees a minimum wage of $8.65 per hour as of 2021. This law applies to most employees in Miami, including full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers. It is important to note that some employees, such as those who receive tips or are under the age of 18, may be paid a lower minimum wage. That being said, Labor Laws help ensure that Miami employees are receiving a stable income necessary to survive in the growing economy.

Another important law that protects Miami employees is the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). This federal law establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor standards for employees in the private sector and in federal, state, and local governments. Under the FLSA, non-exempt employees must be paid overtime at a rate of one and a half times their regular rate of pay for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek.

Discrimination in the workplace is also prohibited by both state and federal laws. The Florida Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status in employment. The Florida Civil Rights Act, which was modeled after the Federal Civil Rights Act from 1964, was passed somewhat recently in 1992. The nearly 3 decade gap between the federal civil rights act and the one passed in Florida can help illuminate the struggle employees and residents have had in Florida to reach a general consensus of equality; this is partly due to the state’s politically active conservative population. 

In addition to these laws, there are many other labor laws that protect employees in Miami. These include laws related to workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, and family and medical leave.