ST. LOUIS – Missouri voters turned out on Election Day in support of a ballot measure to increase the minimum wage and keep up with cost-of-living increases, one of two states to do so.
According to the unofficial tally on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website, Proposition A passed by a margin 57.6% to 42.4%, with nearly three million ballots cast.
In 2024, the minimum wage in Missouri is $12.30 an hour, well above the federal minimum wage of $7.25, which itself was established in the summer of 2009.
Proposition A will take a gradual approach to wage increases, with the minimum wage first rising to $13.75 per hour on Jan. 1, 2025, and then to $15 per hour in 2026. The wage will increase annually based on changes in the Consumer Price Index.
The law will introduce paid sick leave for private sector employers. Businesses with 15 or more employees will be required to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Employees can earn up to 80 hours of sick leave throughout the year, which could roll over to the following year if unused.
Government entities, school districts, and other public institutions are exempt from both the minimum wage increases and the sick leave requirements.