WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Minimum-wage employees in Florida will now get paid more to work.
Florida's minimum wage increased Thursday from $8.65 to $10 per hour -- the largest percentage increase in the state's history.
The new minimum wage is the first of a tiered increase approved by voters last year.
A constitutional amendment passed last November calls for the state's minimum wage to increase by $1 every year starting in 2022 until it reaches $15 an hour by Sept. 30, 2026.
After that, increases would be "adjusted annually for inflation" starting Sept. 30, 2027.
Florida is the latest state to adopt a $15 minimum wage, joining California, New York, New Jersey, Maryland and Massachusetts.
Supporters say it is a necessary living-wage increase, while opponents argue it will lead to a reduced workforce and increased prices passed onto consumers.