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Florida state government salary

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According to 2008 Census data, the state of Florida and local governments in the state employed a total of 1,049,028 people.^[1] Of those employees, 832,252 were full-time employees receiving a net pay of $3,302,955,436 per month and 216,776 were part-time employees paid $213,151,877 per month.^[1] More than 51% of those employees, or 539,321 employees, were in education or higher education.^[1]

The FY2013 budget signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott on April 17, 2012,^[2] marks the sixth year that state government employees have not received a raise.^[3]

As of 2010, the state employees earning the most money were:^[4]

In March 2011 Gov. Rick Scott's office launched a website FloridaHasARightToKnow.com. The site provides access to frequently requested public records and other information, including a state employee salary database and a list of state pensions benefits that exceed $100,000. ^[5]

The 2008 State of Florida payroll database is posted here.

According to the website FloridaOpenGov.org, there were 151,224 employees on the state payroll in 2010, earning a total of $7,269,694,585 and an average salary of $48,072.^[4]

[edit] State budget and impact on salaries

On May 27, 2009, Florida Governor Charles Crist signed a $66.5 billion budget, which represents an increase in government spending of $1.5 billion from the previous fiscal year. Crist also vetoed a 2% pay cut to all state employees earning over $45,000 per year; the measure would have affected nearly 28,000 employees and saved the state over $25 million.^[6]

[edit] Elected officials' salaries

[edit] Legislators' salary

Florida state legislators make $30,000 per year.^[10]

The Florida State Legislature meets in regular session on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in March of each year. A regular session may last 60 consecutive calendar days, including Saturdays and Sundays, and may be extended by a three-fifths vote of the Members in each legislative house.^[11] Legislators receive a $133/day per diem, which is earned based on the number of days in session. Travel vouchers are required to substantiate.^[10]

[edit] Judicial salaries

Florida associate justices' salary ranks 19th in the nation. The average salary earned by U.S. associate justices is $151,142. The median salary earned by U.S. associate justices is $145,984.^[12]

[edit] Local government employees

Main article: Florida local government salary

In 2011, Sunshine Review requested salary information from 19 local governments in the state.

[edit] Teacher Salaries

Florida teacher salaries are established by individual schools and school districts. Salary increases are based upon degree level and years of experience. ^[13] In March 2011 Gov. Rick Scott signed a bill that links teacher pay to classroom performance. The new law will establish a statewide teacher evaluation and merit pay system by 2014, do away with tenure for new teachers hired after July 1, 2011, and the use of long-term contracts. It also eliminates teachers’ due process and collective bargaining rights. ^[14]

[edit] Benefits

All full-time employees of the state receive benefits on top of their salary, including health care and life-insurance. Additional benefits such as dental coverage are available for reduced costs. ^[16]

[edit] Time off

Full-Time employees of the state of receive vacation based on years of employment.

• less than 5 years: 8.667 hours a month
• 5-10 years: 10.883 hours a month
• Over 10 years: 13 hours a month.

All full-time employees received 8.667 hours of sick leave per month, usable for personal or family illness. Other reasons for paid leave include:

• Jury Duty
• Voting
• Disaster Service Volunteers
• Death of Immediate Family
• State Office Building Closure

[edit] Paid holidays

The official paid holidays for state offices are:

• New Year's Day
• Martin Luther King's Birthday
• Memorial Day
• Independence Day
• Labor Day
• Veterans' Day
• Thanksgiving Day and day after Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

In addition, each employee can designate one day a year as a personal holiday.

[edit] Insurance

Health insurance Employees can choose between a State Group Health Self-Insurance Plan, or several different HMOs. Dental insurance is also available at a reduced rate. Employees can also purchase dental and have access to the Flexible Spending Accounts Program.

Life insurance is provided at a discount for 1.5 times the base salary for regular employees. Senior Management and Select Exempt Service employees receive life insurance at no cost for 2 times their base salary.

[edit] Retirement

Florida is a non-contributory state, meaning that only the state pays into the retirement plan selected by the employee and the employee does not contribute. (No longer accurate, as of July '11.)

Main article: California public pensions

[edit] Teachers

The average salary paid to a Florida public K-12 school teacher for the 2009-10 school year was $46,696, a decrease of $242 (-0.52 percent) over the average salary of $46,938 for the 2008-09 school year.^[17]

The Florida Center for Fiscal and Economic Policy released its State of the State of Florida report, which ranked teacher's salaries 37th in the nation. Furthermore, it found that over the last decade, public school teachers' salaries in the Sunshine State have dropped and keep dropping. While the country's average salaries for public school teachers increased 3.5 percent over the last decade, Florida's was -0.3 percent. The nation's average one-year increase from fiscal year 2009 to 2010 was 1.7 percent while Florida's was -0.5 percent. The report from the FCFEP compares Florida's education, poverty rate, tax policies and health services to other states. Their ranking of teacher salaries was based on a December 2010 report from the National Education Association. ^[18]

Highlights from the FCFP report include: ^[19]

• About 2.7 million Floridians live below the poverty line, including 850,000 with children. The number of Floridians living in poverty increased 550,000 in two years.
• Third highest unemployment rate in the nation at 11.5 percent
• Third worst child health care system in the nation

[edit] Additional reading

• Public employee salary
• See sample transparency legislation at the Sunshine Standard

[edit] External links

• FloridaOpenGov.org -- compare $1.4 trillion in public spending going back to the 90s
• Salaries received by Florida's teachers.
• State of Florida payroll database, 2008.
• Search for the salaries of state employees by name, title, or department.
• Find the salary and total compensation of your school district's superintendent here.

[edit] References

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