Florida · Compliance · Updated April 2026

Florida-distinctive: workers must give 15 days notice before suing for minimum wage.

Fla. Stat. § 448.110(6) creates a unique pre-suit cure mechanic: before a worker can sue for unpaid minimum wages under the Florida Constitution, they must give the employer 15 calendar days written notice identifying the alleged unpaid wages, work dates, and total amount. The employer can pay or resolve the claim during that 15-day window — with no liquidated damages or attorney fees if they do. Failure to cure exposes the employer to back wages plus 2× liquidated damages plus attorney fees plus civil penalty up to $1,000 per intentional violation.

Cure Window
15 calendar days
Penalty
2× back wages + fees
Authority
Fla. Stat. § 448.110(6)
Active

Pre-Suit Notice Response Workflow

Surfaces § 448.110 notices as Critical events with the 15-day countdown. Calculates exposure if claim is accurate. Routes payment or response within the window to avoid liquidated damages.

Surface 15-day cure countdown
Calculate exposure on receipt
Always running

What those rules do when a § 448.110 notice arrives.

The hero card configuration: Critical on countdown, Flag on exposure calculation.

Critical · 15-day cure countdown

When a § 448.110 notice is received, Teambridge surfaces a Critical indicator with the 15-day countdown clock. The clock starts on receipt; weekends and holidays count.

Flag · exposure calculation

On notice receipt, Teambridge cross-references the worker, dates, and rates against the timesheet system to calculate whether the claim is accurate. If accurate, the back wages amount displays — paying within 15 days avoids 2× liquidated damages.

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The rule, plainly stated

Cure-or-pay structure unique to Florida.

The 15-day notice mechanic is distinctive to Florida among state minimum wage statutes. Most states allow direct civil action; Florida requires this pre-suit step, and the trade-off is the cure window.

Fla. Stat. § 448.110(6): Prior to bringing any claim for unpaid minimum wages pursuant to this section, the person aggrieved shall notify the employer alleged to have violated this section, in writing, of an intent to initiate such an action. The notice must identify the minimum wage to which the person aggrieved claims entitlement, the actual or estimated work dates and hours for which payment is sought, and the total amount of alleged unpaid wages through the date of the notice. The employer shall have 15 calendar days after receipt of the notice to pay the total amount of unpaid wages or otherwise resolve the claim to the satisfaction of the person aggrieved.

Notice content requirements

The pre-suit notice must identify: (a) the minimum wage to which the worker claims entitlement, (b) the actual or estimated work dates and hours for which payment is sought, (c) the total amount of alleged unpaid wages through the date of the notice. Notices that lack these specifics are defective and don't start the cure clock — but the prudent employer responds anyway to avoid arguments later.

15-day cure window

The employer has 15 calendar days from receipt to pay the unpaid wages or otherwise resolve the claim. The statute of limitations is tolled during the 15-day period. Paying within the window typically extinguishes the claim — workers who accept payment generally cannot then sue for the same wages.

On autopilot

Teambridge surfaces notices, calculates exposure, drives the cure decision.

Florida's pre-suit notice mechanic is a genuine off-ramp — but only if the employer responds within 15 days. Manual handling of these notices is where the cure window gets missed.

01 · Notice receipt logging

Inbound notice routed and logged.

When a § 448.110 notice arrives (typically by certified mail or email to legal/HR), it's logged in the system with timestamp. The 15-day clock starts running.

02 · Exposure analysis

Claim cross-referenced against records.

Teambridge cross-references the claim against timesheet, payroll, and rate records to determine: (a) is the claim accurate? (b) what's the actual exposure if it is? (c) was the underlying issue isolated or systemic?

03 · Cure decision

Pay-or-defend within 15 days.

Operators decide whether to cure within the window. Curing extinguishes the claim and avoids 2× damages and attorney fees. Defending preserves rights but exposes the multiplier.

04 · Pattern detection

Multiple notices flagged.

If multiple notices arrive within a window or pattern (same role, same location, same time period), Teambridge surfaces the pattern as a Critical indicator. Class-action precursors look exactly like this.

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FAQ

People also ask.

What is the § 448.110 pre-suit notice?
A required notice from a worker to an employer alleging unpaid minimum wages, given before any lawsuit can be filed. The notice must identify the wage, dates, hours, and total amount alleged. The employer has 15 calendar days to cure.
What happens if I pay within 15 days?
Generally extinguishes the claim. Workers who accept payment cannot typically then sue for the same wages. The good-faith resolution avoids 2× liquidated damages, attorney fees, and the $1,000 civil penalty for intentional violations. Document the resolution carefully.
What if I don't pay or respond within 15 days?
The worker can file a civil action for: (a) full back wages owed, (b) liquidated damages equal to back wages (so the worker recovers 2× wages), (c) reasonable attorney fees and costs. Intentional violations also expose the employer to a $1,000 civil penalty payable to the state.
Is the good-faith defense available?
Yes. Under 29 U.S.C. § 260 (incorporated through § 448.110), if the employer proves by preponderance of evidence that the act was in good faith with reasonable grounds for believing it was lawful, the court may reduce or eliminate liquidated damages. The good-faith defense doesn't avoid back wages, just the multiplier.
Does the 15-day window apply to FLSA claims?
No. The 15-day pre-suit notice is specific to § 448.110 (state minimum wage claims). Federal FLSA claims for minimum wage or OT violations don't require the notice — they go directly to civil action or U.S. DOL complaint. Many cases run state and federal in parallel.
Can workers bring § 448.110 as a class action?
Yes, under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.220. But plaintiffs must prove the individual identity of each class member and individual damages by preponderance — a stricter standard than federal FLSA collective actions. This makes class § 448.110 actions less common than FLSA collectives.
How does Teambridge handle this?
Inbound notices are logged with the 15-day countdown starting on receipt. Exposure is calculated by cross-referencing the claim against timesheet and payroll records. The cure-or-defend decision is presented with full context. Pattern detection surfaces multi-notice scenarios that may signal class-action precursor activity.