Oregon Approves Landmark Minimum Wage Legislation – is Florida Next?
Oregon Approves Landmark Minimum Wage Legislation – is Florida Next?
April 15, 2016

Overview: Senate Bill 1532

On Thursday, February 18, 2016, the Oregon House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 1532. It is important to note that Oregon’s plan is unique because it will incorporate a three-tiered regional system, in other words the state will be divided into regions and the regions will have separate minimum wage rates. The larger cities will have higher minimum wage rates to account for the increased cost of living while the smaller cities will have lower rates. This means that by 2022 metro Portland will have a minimum wage rate of $14.75, while the smaller cities will have a wage rate of $13.50 and the rural communities will have a wage rate of $12.50. This makes Oregon the first state to not impose a one rate increase statewide and therefore linking minimum wage to your geographical location.

What does this mean for Florida employers?

At this time, Senate Bill 1532 will only directly affect Florida employers who employ any individual(s) in the state of Oregon. If you have employees in the state of Oregon then it is important to meet with your business attorney to discuss any questions you may have as well as confirm that you are abiding by the new minimum wage laws.

As for Florida employers who do not have employees in the state of Oregon, it is still important for you to stay up to date on the continuous changes surrounding minimum wage laws because some form of these changes could eventually make their way to the state of Florida and it is always better to be prepared and fully understand what is occurring in the world around so that you may plan accordingly. Often states look at other states’ new laws before implementing the same new laws in their own state. If Florida’s minimum wage becomes based upon a tiered regional system then areas such as Tampa and Miami would have higher minimum wage rates than the less populated areas such as Starke.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns I recommend you contact your business attorney.

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This blog was written by the Hunter Business Law Team.

DISCLAIMER: This blog is for educational purposes only and does not offer nor substitute legal advice. Additionally, this blog does not establish an attorney-client relationship and is not for advertising or solicitation purposes. Any of the content contained herein shall not be used to make any decision without first consulting an attorney. The hiring of an attorney is an important decision not to be based on advertisements or blogs. Hunter Business Law expressly disclaims any and all liability in regard to any actions, or lack thereof, based on any contents of this blog.

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