ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Florida typically earns a top spot on lists ranking the best beaches or the best places to retire. But, when it comes to working, one study says the Sunshine State is pretty average.
Oxfam, an organization focused on alleviating global poverty, published its annual list of the "Best and Worst States to Work in America." Florida came in at No. 29.
The index ranks all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., based on three main factors: wage policies, worker protections and rights to organize.
Wage policies
For wage policies, Oxfam looked at how each state's minimum wage compares to the $7.25 federal rate and how that wage measures up against the cost of living for a single-income family of four.
Florida's minimum wage is $10/hour while a livable wage for a family of four, according to MIT's Living Wage Calculator, is $37.25/hour. So, the state lost a significant amount of points in this category.
It's important to note that Florida voters agreed to increase the minimum wage by $1 each year until it reaches $15/hour in 2026.
Worker protections
What really dragged down Florida's overall ranking was its score for worker protections. In this category, Oxfam looked at mandates for paid sick and family leave, protections for pregnant or breastfeeding workers and rules to limit sudden schedule changes.
While Florida does provide equal pay across gender and race and some form of workplace sexual harassment protection, the state does not provide any paid family or sick leave.
Rights to organize
This category considered workers' rights to organize, collectively bargain and negotiate wages.
According to Oxfam, Florida does provide collective bargaining and wage negotiations and protects workers against wage theft retaliation. It does, however, have a so-called "right to work" law that limits unions' ability to organize, the organization added.
You can check out Florida's full scorecard here.
As for the overall rankings of best places to work, the west coast dominated. Oregon, California and Washington earned the top three spots. Georgia, Mississippi and North Carolina found their places at the bottom of the list.
Oxfam said Florida and Arkansas ranked closely in the labor index.