The City of DeLand’s hourly minimum wage is going up, and all city employees are getting a raise. Some changes will come with the new budget, while others will affect paychecks in the coming weeks.
At the DeLand City Commission meeting June 21, the city commissioners — minus Commissioner Jessica Davis, who was not present — unanimously approved a wage increase for the 2021-22 fiscal year.
The minimum hourly wage for all city employees will shift to $15, and all employees making more than the new minimum hourly wage will receive a raise of between $2.01 and $3.
The move comes as a statewide adjustment to minimum hourly wages approaches. Thanks to a constitutional amendment Floridians approved last November, the minimum wage will see its first jump in September to $10 per hour. The minimum wage will increase by $1 every September until stabilizing at $15 per hour in 2026. From there, the minimum wage will adjust in relation to inflation.
Another problem the city is looking to combat is understaffing.
As of June 22, the City of DeLand has 40 vacant positions. City staff hope the wage increase will make DeLand more competitive to fill those vacant jobs. All of the city’s vacant positions will be advertised at their new minimum rate of $15, effective July 3.
Also effective July 3 will be the increase to $15 for all city employees currently making less than $15 per hour.
“I hope this is a message to our city workers that we do appreciate you and that you are our most valuable asset and we’re putting the money into that to show you that,” City Commissioner Charles Paiva said. “Thank you for all your hard work.”
