EMPLOYMENT LAW NEWS

Ballot Measures Breakdown:
Missouri

By By Jana Bjorklund, GovDocs Senior Counsel and Director
Employment Law and Compliance
October 31, 2024
Ballot Measure Breakdown Missouri

The fourth and final blog in this series will provide an overview of the minimum wage and paid sick leave ballot measures in Missouri. 

In recent years, significant shifts in employment laws have paved the way for ballot measures addressing minimum wage adjustments and paid sick leave requirements. GovDocs is watching these ballot measures and will bring you a series of blogs for the remainder of this month providing details on which states have similar ballot measures to be decided in the November election.   

The fourth and final blog in this series will provide an overview of the minimum wage and paid sick leave ballot measures in Missouri. 

Missouri’s Proposition A, if passed, will increase the state’s minimum wage and establish paid sick leave requirements for Missouri employers. Following is a breakdown of the potential new compliance obligations. 

Missouri Minimum Wage Increase

Proposition A would raise the state’s minimum wage from $12.30 per hour to $13.75 beginning January 1, 2025. The state’s minimum wage would then increase to $15.00 per hour beginning January 1. 2026 and will be indexed annually thereafter on January 1.  

Missouri Paid Sick Leave

Proposition A would require employers in Missouri to provide paid sick leave to employees beginning May 1, 2025, which could be taken by employees as it accrues. Some of the requirements for paid sick leave under Proposition A are: 

  • Accrual Rate:  Employees would be entitled to accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.  
  • Carry Over: Employees would be able to carry over up to 80 hours of accrued but unused paid sick time into the following year.  
  • Annual Use: An employee’s use of paid sick leave may be limited to 56 hours per year if the employer has 15 or more employees. An employer with less than 15 employees may limit an employee’s use of paid sick leave to 40 hours per year. 
  • Eligible Reasons for Paid Sick Time: Employees would be able to use paid sick time for their own mental or physical illness, caring for a family member due to their mental or physical illness, the closure of the employee’s workplace or closure of their child’s school or place of care, due to a public health emergency, or to obtain services when the employee or their family member is a victim of domestic violence. 

Conclusion

GovDocs will be watching the decisions made by voters on November 5 in those states with ballot measures impacting minimum wage and paid sick leave for employers. Subscribe to our GovDocs Employment Law News Blog for more information and updates on these ballot measures and more. 

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