Florida’s $15 minimum wage: shop and mobile steps now

What changed, and who it hits first

WINK News reports that Florida’s minimum wage is jumping to 15 dollars. For Florida grooming salons and mobile operators, that raises the floor for bathers, reception, kennel help, and any hourly assistants beginning Oct. 1. Florida’s tipped cash wage floor is 11.98, but only applies when the role is legally a tipped position and tip rules are followed.

The practical impact is higher weekly payroll and tighter compliance risk. Here is how to audit pay, adjust pricing, and communicate cleanly before the change lands.

Immediate compliance checklist

• Set base rates: Every non-tipped hourly role at or above 15 dollars per hour. For tipped roles, cash wage at or above 11.98, with lawful tip credit only when the employee regularly receives tips from customers.
• Timekeeping: Pay for all hours worked, including prep, cleanup, laundry, client consults, and kennel care. For mobile teams, pay drive time between stops and time loading and unloading. Do not count gas reimbursements as wages.
• Commission and draws: Each pay period, confirm total pay meets or exceeds 15 dollars times all hours worked. If a groomer on commission falls short, top up to meet the floor and record it as a draw or minimum guarantee. Keep written terms.
• Overtime: Over 40 hours in a week requires 1.5 times the regular rate. Regular rate includes commissions and bonuses. Example: If a groomer works 45 hours, earns 600 dollars in hourly wages plus 400 dollars in commission, regular rate is 1,000 divided by 45 equals 22.22. Overtime premium owed is 0.5 times 22.22 times 5 equals 55.56, on top of straight time already paid.
• Tip rules if you use the 11.98 cash wage: Give written tip credit notice, keep daily tip reports, do not include non-tipped staff in any tip pool, and make sure tips plus cash wage meet or exceed 15 dollars per hour for every hour worked. If not, you must top up.
• Payroll tasks this week: Update rates in payroll software, refresh labor law posters, confirm PTO and holiday policies compute from the new base, and brief your bookkeeper or CPA on any commission math changes.

Pay plans that still work at 15 dollars

• Hourly plus performance bonus: Set bathers and assistants at 15 to 18 dollars per hour. Add a weekly bonus, for example 50 to 150 dollars tied to dogs bathed, rebook rate, and zero no-shows on their pull list. Simple to run and fully compliant.
• Commission with a floor: Pay 35 to 45 percent commission on the groom price, with a guaranteed minimum of 15 to 18 dollars per hour for all hours on the clock. Reconcile weekly. This keeps high performers happy and protects you on slow days.
• Piece rate with a guarantee: Fixed pay per service, for example 22 dollars bath small, 30 dollars bath medium, 40 dollars bath large, 55 to 90 dollars full groom tiers. Track total hours. If piece earnings divided by hours is below 15, top up. Clear, production focused, and legal when tracked correctly.

Pick one model, write it down, and run it consistently. The weekly check is nonnegotiable: total pay must meet or exceed 15 dollars times hours worked. Keep those calculations with your payroll records.

Pricing and scheduling moves to cover higher labor

Target labor at 30 to 38 percent of service price for salons that include bather support. With the floor at 15 dollars, many menus now sit light. Adjust now, not after margins disappear.

• Menu changes that work: Raise base grooms 6 to 12 percent, or add 4 to 6 dollars on small dogs, 6 to 10 dollars on medium, 10 to 15 dollars on large and heavy coats. Doodle and double coat de-shed packages often need 12 to 20 dollars to reflect real hands-on time.
• Time standards to enforce: Small smooth bath 30 to 45 minutes, small full groom 75 to 90 minutes, medium full groom 90 to 120 minutes, doodle full groom 120 to 150 minutes if in good coat. Anything beyond that triggers an impacted coat or behavior fee.
• Reduce idle time: Aim for less than 10 percent of the day in gaps. Stagger start times so bathers begin 30 minutes before groomers. Hard stop at lunch and close to protect overtime.
• Deposits and policies: Take a 20 to 40 percent deposit on high demand slots and new clients. Require a card on file. Late cancel or no-show fee at 50 to 100 percent depending on notice. Automated reminders by SMS help cut no-shows meaningfully.
• Mobile routing: Pay for drive time, then earn it back by tightening routes. Aim for 15 minutes or less between stops on dense days. If a visit requires 30 minutes of drive each way, price it as a premium zone.

If your software supports online payments and deposits, turn that on and set default add-ons for coat condition. One mention for readers who need a simple tool: GroomBoard includes online booking, SMS reminders, Stripe deposits, and weight based price tiers, with Starter at 9 dollars per month and a 7 day free trial.

How to tell clients, and what to say to staff

Clients: Post the new menu, then send a short notice. Keep it factual and respectful. Example language you can copy:

We are updating our service menu on Oct. 1. This reflects Florida’s new minimum wage and the time required for safe, quality grooming. Your pet’s next appointment will reflect the new pricing. Thank you for supporting a living wage for our team.

Staff: Share the new base rates, how overtime will be calculated, and exactly how the commission floor or draw will work. Hand out a one page summary and get signatures. Schedule a 15 minute huddle to answer questions before the first Oct. payroll.

Run the numbers this week

1. List each role, current rate, new rate, average weekly hours, and cost difference. Include payroll taxes and workers comp in your estimate by adding 8 to 12 percent to wages.
2. Update your price list to hit your target labor percent. If you cannot raise across the board, raise the time hogs first.
3. Audit one recent week. For each employee, confirm pay met or exceeded 15 dollars per hour for all hours. Fix any shortfalls and adjust your plan so it does not recur.
4. Publish the new menu and policies, and switch your online booking to the new prices before Oct. 1.

Florida’s higher floor is here. Clean math, clear policies, and a firmer schedule will keep your margins intact and your team paid correctly.