Florida Gov. Charlie Crist signed legislation Tuesday delaying a major hike in state unemployment taxes. The Florida legislature had approved the delay (bill HB 7033) in its first day in session on Tuesday.

Under the proposed hikes, Florida's wage base on which unemployment taxes are charged would have risen to the first $8,500 of pay this year from the first $7,000 last year.

In addition, the minimum state unemployment tax rate would have gone to 1.18% of wages in 2010 from 0.12%. That would mean an increase to $100.30 per employee with the higher wage base from $8.40 per employee.

The maximum rate would have remained at 5.4% of salary. However, with the increase in wage base, the amount per employee per year would have gone to $459 per employee from $378.

The bill delays the tax hikes over the next two years, according to The Miami Herald. However, the minimum rate will still go up to $25.20 this year for the minimum rate, although the maximum rate will remain the same, the newspaper reported.