No. This is an independent informational guide. Use official U.S. DOL, OSHA, EEOC, FCHR, FloridaCommerce, county or court resources for filing, deadlines and legal decisions.

Florida does not have the same broad state wage-claim intake system that some states have, so many Florida wage complaints go to the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, a county wage theft program if available, or court.

For many unpaid minimum wage, overtime, off-the-clock, tip and child labor issues, start with the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division by calling 1-866-487-9243 or using the WHD online inquiry form.

The Wage and Hour Division phone number is 1-866-4-US-WAGE, which is 1-866-487-9243.

Yes. WHD provides an online general inquiry form that can start the complaint contact process.

WHD asks for your contact information, employer name and location, employer phone, manager or owner name, type of work, how and when you were paid and details about the wage problem.

Wage theft can include unpaid hours, unpaid overtime, minimum wage violations, tip theft, off-the-clock work, illegal deductions, unpaid final wages, misclassification and some child labor or FMLA-related issues.

Florida minimum wage is $14.00 per hour from September 30, 2025, and is scheduled to increase to $15.00 per hour on September 30, 2026.

Florida tipped cash wage is $10.98 from September 30, 2025, and is scheduled to increase to $11.98 on September 30, 2026.

Managers, owners and employers generally cannot keep employee tips under federal tip rules. Tip pool and tip credit details can be technical, so keep tip records and ask WHD if unsure.

Yes. Cash pay does not automatically remove wage protections. Keep notes, texts, deposits, schedules, witness names and any proof of hours and pay.

Many wage laws protect workers regardless of immigration status, but workers with immigration concerns should use official agency resources or speak with a qualified worker-rights attorney before sharing sensitive information.

Yes. A contractor label does not automatically decide your legal status. WHD or a court may look at the real work relationship.

Some salaried employees are still nonexempt and may be owed overtime. Job duties, salary basis and pay level matter more than the label alone.

FLSA generally requires overtime pay at 1.5 times the regular rate for nonexempt employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek.

No. If the employer knows or should know you are working, the time may be compensable. Keep proof of pre-shift, post-shift, training, travel or cleanup work.

Deductions can create wage issues if they reduce pay below the required minimum wage or affect overtime calculations. Keep receipts, pay stubs and deduction records.

Gather your employment dates, final schedule, promised pay, pay stubs and messages. Contact WHD if a federal wage law applies or consider local/court options.

Deadlines depend on the legal claim. FLSA wage claims generally have 2-year or 3-year lookback concepts, but you should file or get legal advice quickly.

No. Federal wage laws can prohibit retaliation for protected wage complaints. Document the complaint date, who received it and any firing, threats, demotion or schedule cuts after that.

For many safety-related retaliation issues, file with OSHA’s whistleblower program. For wage retaliation, contact WHD or an employment attorney. For discrimination retaliation, use EEOC or FCHR.

OSHA administers multiple whistleblower laws with different deadlines. Safety retaliation under OSHA rights can be as short as 30 days, while other OSHA-administered laws may vary from 30 to 180 days or more.

Yes. OSHA provides an online whistleblower complaint form.

It should show protected activity, employer knowledge, an adverse action such as firing or demotion, and a connection between the protected activity and the adverse action.

File an OSHA whistleblower complaint immediately because some safety retaliation deadlines are very short.

Contact WHD or an employment attorney quickly because wage retaliation can be protected under federal wage law.

If retaliation is tied to race, sex, pregnancy, disability, age, religion, national origin or harassment, contact the EEOC or Florida Commission on Human Relations.

Sometimes more than one agency may be relevant, but double-filing can create confusion. Keep records of every filing and consider legal advice for overlapping claims.

Collect schedules, timecards, texts, app screenshots, pay stubs, bank deposits, jobsite photos, coworker names and a weekly chart of hours worked and pay received.

Collect the date you complained, the person you complained to, the employer response, termination or discipline documents, schedule changes, texts, emails and witness names.

No. You can contact WHD without a lawyer, but an attorney may help if the claim is large, deadline-sensitive, retaliatory, county-based or headed to court.

No. Contacting WHD about a wage complaint is free.

Agencies may have confidentiality practices, but completely anonymous complaints can be harder to investigate. Ask the official agency how confidentiality works before filing.

Use the business name, worksite address, manager name, phone number, pay stub, W-2, business license, receipt, job posting or any document that identifies the company.

Some Florida local governments may have wage theft programs or resources. Check the county where the work was performed and verify current rules before filing.

Yes. Tipped workers have a lower cash wage, but cash wage plus tips must generally reach the full Florida minimum wage.

If you worked overtime that the employer knew or should have known about, “not allowed” does not automatically remove the employer’s duty to pay legally required overtime.

Save your own records, screenshots, schedules, texts, clock-in app data and witness names. Tell WHD that the employer’s records may be inaccurate.

Yes. Former employees can still file wage complaints for unpaid wages or overtime if the claim is within the applicable time period.

Employers should preserve payroll records, avoid retaliation, review wage practices, correct errors when found and use qualified counsel for complex claims.

Write a week-by-week unpaid wage summary, collect evidence, call WHD at 1-866-487-9243 or use the WHD online form, and act quickly if retaliation happened.