Florida lawmakers back bill to exempt trainees from minimum wage

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - A Florida Senate committee Monday backed a proposal that would give employers a way to sidestep the state’s minimum wage if they can classify positions as job training.

Critics argue bill exploits workers of all ages

What we know:

A Florida Senate committee has approved a bill (SB 676) that would allow employers to exempt certain workers from the state’s minimum wage if their positions are classified as part of a structured training program. The measure passed along party lines, with Republicans supporting the proposal and Democrats opposing it.

Florida’s minimum wage is currently $13 per hour and is set to increase incrementally to $15 by 2026. The bill's sponsor, Sen. Jonathan Martin (R-Fort Myers), argues that the rising minimum wage makes it harder for unskilled workers to enter the workforce, and the exemption would provide more opportunities for job training.

What we don't know:

It remains unclear how broadly employers could apply the exemption and whether businesses might reclassify entry-level jobs as internships or apprenticeships to avoid paying minimum wage. Opponents worry that the bill could undermine the voter-approved minimum wage increase and potentially face legal challenges.

Additionally, while supporters claim the measure would help workers gain skills, there is no clarity on how long an employee could remain in a "work-based learning" role or how the state would enforce compliance to prevent exploitation.

The backstory:

Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment in 2020 to gradually raise the state’s minimum wage, which is significantly higher than the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour. The bill follows previous efforts by Republican lawmakers to introduce exceptions to the minimum wage law, including a 2023 measure that exempted professional baseball players from state minimum-wage protections.

Under current law, Florida employers can already pay sub-minimum wages to certain groups, including young workers during their first 90 days of employment and students in vocational training programs. The proposed expansion raises concerns among labor advocates about broader efforts to roll back minimum-wage protections.

What they're saying:

Supporters argue that the bill would provide workers with a choice to gain skills instead of earning higher wages immediately.

"Internships, apprenticeships, all by definition, are temporary," said Senate Commerce and Tourism Chairman Tom Leek, R-Ormond Beach. "You're not committing yourself to a life of a low wage. But what we are doing is allowing that person to make the decision on their own, that they would like to have a marketable skill more than they'd like to have 15 bucks an hour. And that's a fair trade."

Rep. Ryan Chamberlin, R-Belleview, who is sponsoring a similar bill in the House, called the minimum wage "a weight on Florida’s economy and a hindrance to workers." He said the proposal would "give both employers and employees more flexibility" in wage agreements.

Opponents, however, see the bill as an attempt to weaken the state’s minimum-wage law and exploit workers.

"This proposal is an attempt to circumvent it. It's an attempt to exploit workers of all ages," said Sen. Carlos Guillermo Smith, D-Orlando.

House Minority Leader Fentrice Driskell, D-Tampa criticized the measure as undermining the will of voters.

"We should not be trying to solve for any workforce shortage by treating workers with anything less than what they deserve," she said.

What's next:

The bill must pass additional legislative hurdles before becoming law. A nearly identical House bill (HB 541) is also under consideration. If passed, the law could face legal challenges, with opponents arguing it conflicts with Florida’s constitutional amendment requiring a minimum wage.

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