Sunshine Sentinel

NFIB Florida Legislative Director Tim Nungesser presented testimony supporting two legislative bills—House Bill 541 and Senate Bill 676—designed to offer employers an option to deviate from the state's minimum wage requirements for certain employees. This testimony was delivered to the Florida House Commerce Committee.

Nungesser stated, “Every month, our small business members report that hiring is one of the biggest challenges they face, and it hasn’t gotten much easier.” He supports the proposed bills, explaining, “House Bill 541 and Senate Bill 676 give small business owners the opportunity to hire less experienced workers at a wage that allows employers to train and develop employees. This voluntary program is a reasonable option for Florida’s small businesses and employees to build up our workforce and strengthen the economy.”

Further supporting the need for these measures, NFIB’s latest jobs report found that 40% of small business owners, adjusted for seasonal variations, had job openings in March that they could not fill.