§ 447.509, Fla. Stat. · Part II. PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Other unlawful acts; exceptions.
Text — 2026 Florida Statutes
(1) Employee organizations, their members, agents, or representatives, or any persons acting on their behalf are hereby prohibited from:
(a) Soliciting public employees during working hours of any employee who is involved in the solicitation.
(b) Distributing literature during working hours in areas where the actual work of public employees is performed, such as offices, warehouses, schools, police stations, fire stations, and any similar public installations. This section may not be construed to prohibit the distribution of literature during the employee’s lunch hour or in such areas not specifically devoted to the performance of the employee’s official duties.
(c) Instigating or advocating support, in any positive manner, for an employee organization’s activities from high school or grade school students during classroom time.
(d) Offering anything of value to a public officer as defined in s. 112.313(1) which the public officer is prohibited from accepting under s. 112.313(2).
(e) Offering any compensation, payment, or thing of value to a public officer as defined in s. 112.313(1) which the public officer is prohibited from accepting under s. 112.313(4).
(2) An employee organization may not directly or indirectly pay any fines or penalties assessed against individuals pursuant to this part.
(3) Public employers, their agents or representatives, or persons acting on their behalf may not provide any form of compensation or paid leave to a public employee, directly or indirectly, for the purpose of engaging in employee organization activities.
(4) Notwithstanding subsection (3), a public employee may do any of the following:
(a) Be granted time off without pay or benefits to engage in employee organization activities, provided that the public employer and the bargaining agent agree. An employee organization may compensate a public employee for engaging in employee organization activities.
(b) Use compensated personal leave, whether the leave is the public employee’s or is voluntarily donated by other public employees in the bargaining unit, to engage in employee organization activities if:
1. The leave is accrued at the same rate by similarly situated public employees in the bargaining unit without regard to membership in or participation with an employee organization.
2. The public employee may freely choose the manner in which to use the leave.
(c) Engage in representational employee organization activities on behalf of the bargaining agent while in a duty status without loss of pay or benefits, provided that the public employer and the bargaining agent agree.
(5) Notwithstanding subsection (3), a public employer may provide compensation and benefits to a public employee for the purpose of engaging in employee organization activities if agreed to in the collective bargaining agreement and if the public employer is fully reimbursed by the employee organization for such compensation and benefits.
(6) Subsections (3) and (4) do not apply to public employees in public safety units.
(7) The circuit courts of this state have jurisdiction to enforce this section by injunction and contempt proceedings, if necessary. A public employee who is convicted of a violation of this section may be discharged or otherwise disciplined by his or her public employer, notwithstanding further provisions of law, and notwithstanding the provisions of any collective bargaining agreement.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
s. 3, ch. 74-100; s. 162, ch. 97-103; s. 5, ch. 2023-35; s. 22, ch. 2026-58.
Source of truth
- Edition
- 2026 Florida Statutes
- Official file
- https://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0447/0447.html
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