The Florida legislature recently passed a bill to provide state employees with much-needed pay raises. This bill comes after years of stagnant wages for many public sector workers. With rising inflation, this pay boost will help state workers better afford living expenses.
Key Details of the Pay Raise Bill
The pay raise bill includes the following key components
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Across-the-board 5% raise – All state employees will receive an increase of 5% to their base pay This applies to both full-time and part-time workers.
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Agency discretion raises – Individual state agencies can provide additional raises to address compression, recruitment, and retention issues. Agencies have flexibility to target critical needs.
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Higher starting salaries – The starting salary for correctional officers will increase to $45,760 ($22/hour). This change aims to attract and retain more correctional officers.
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Effective July 1, 2024 – The pay increases will take effect at the start of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2024. Employees will see the change in their first paychecks for fiscal year 2024-2025.
Why State Workers Need a Pay Raise
There are several compelling reasons Florida needed to boost pay for state employees:
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Rising cost of living – Inflation is the highest it has been in 40 years. Gas, food, housing, healthcare, and other living expenses have become much more expensive. State workers’ paychecks have not kept pace with inflation.
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Widening pay gap – The average pay for Florida state employees is over 25% less than the average salary in the private sector. This growing gap makes it difficult for the state to attract and retain talent.
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Years without raises – Most state employees went without any base pay raises for over 12 years until 2017. Florida fell behind other states in compensating public sector workers.
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Staffing shortages – Many state agencies face chronic staffing shortages, resulting in long wait times, backlogs, and service issues for residents. Low pay hampers recruiting efforts.
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High turnover – Average state employee turnover hovered around 20% in recent years, disrupting operations and services. Turnover was even higher among correctional officers.
Funding the Pay Raises
The legislature took several steps to fund the state employee pay raises:
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Drawing on higher than expected state revenue growth for fiscal year 2023-2024.
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Utilizing federal stimulus funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
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Making targeted reductions to lower priority programs and projects to redirect savings.
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Delaying upcoming tax cuts scheduled under previous legislation.
With careful budgeting, the state identified $1.2 billion in funding for state employee pay raises without cutting major programs or raising taxes.
Impact on State Employees
This pay raise legislation will have a number of positive impacts on Florida’s state workforce:
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Boost employee purchasing power by providing a raise above the rate of inflation.
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Improve morale among state workers who feel more valued.
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Enhance recruitment and retention, reducing staffing shortages.
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Start to close the public-private sector pay gap.
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Reduce employee turnover, improving operations and service delivery.
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Attract more correctional officer applicants with higher starting pay.
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Let workers share in Florida’s economic success after years of stagnant wages.
What’s Next for State Employee Pay?
While this year’s pay raise is a good start, more work remains ahead to fully compensate Florida’s state workforce. Some next steps include:
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Conduct a comprehensive pay study to identify appropriate salary ranges for all positions.
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Build regular cost of living adjustments into the state pay plans.
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Develop clear policies for performance-based raises.
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Allocate funding each year to cover both cost of living and performance raises.
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Explore pay incentives like bonuses and student loan repayment to aid recruitment.
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Survey employees regularly on pay satisfaction and identify problem areas.
With smart long-term planning, Florida can continue closing the pay gap and become an employer of choice for top talent across all fields. Investing in competitive compensation for state employees pays dividends through better services and outcomes for all Floridians.
Who was eligible for the general increase?
Permanent (not temporary) employees were eligible.
Please note that per Personnel Rule 3, an Appointing Authority could defer or deny the granting of the increase for new hires, promotions, pay adjustments, demotions, and voluntary demotions within 90 days of a general increase and for disciplinary action within a 12-month period which has not become inactive.
What if the increases brought the pay rate above the pay grade maximum?
Employees for whom a pay rate increase would exceed the maximum for their associated pay grade received an increase that brought their pay rate to the new maximum. The remainder of the adjustment was awarded in a single lump sum payment.
Florida Gov. approves pay raise bill for state workers
FAQ
Are Florida state employees getting a raise in 2024?
Is the state of Florida pay increase in July 2024?
What is the pay increase for Florida in 2024 2025?
Is the state of Florida getting a 3 percent raise?
How much does the Florida Legislature spend on a pay increase?
The Florida Legislature is looking to boost the pay for a depleted state work force and for the third consecutive year has inserted a pay raise in a $117 billion state budget it will soon send to Gov. Ron DeSantis. In sum, the plan spends about $134 million for a 3% pay increase for 96,863 state employees.
How much does Florida pay for retirement?
6.5 percent increase to total premiums (State Employee portion unchanged). Florida Retirement System (State Agencies) – Total $53.3 million [$17.4 million GR; $35.9 million TF]. Just Read! Florida – $1 million GR If approved by the Governor, these provisions take effect July 1, 2020, except where otherwise expressly provided.
Will state workers get a 5% pay raise?
House and Senate leaders on Monday finished working out details of a $116 billion state budget spending plan that includes a 5% pay raise for state workers.
Did Florida public service workers get a 3% raise?
The public service workers who are keeping Florida running during this global pandemic finally got a 3% raise – their first in a dozen years.
Do state workers get raises?
To lure workers to the state, lawmakers have been boosting the bottom line on paychecks. This is the second year in a row, and the third in the past four, when workers received raises. They got just two stand-alone raises in the previous 12 years. Analysis: Is Ron DeSantis good for state workers? We look at the record
Will Florida’s 2024 legislative session be a dud for state workers?
Florida’s 2024 legislative session may turn out to be a dud for state workers. As the final week of session approaches, it looks like bills to expand benefits for public employees will die on the legislative vine. At the same time, a proposal that could actually reduce the pay of tens of thousands of other workers heads to the House floor.