In Columbia, Missouri, various business organizations declared on Monday that they have initiated legal proceedings to challenge a recently approved law aimed at increasing the state’s minimum wage and mandating paid sick leave for employees.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with associations representing restaurants and grocers, contend that the law breaches a state constitutional stipulation which mandates that ballot measures must focus solely on a single issue, as this particular measure encompasses both a hike in the minimum wage and provisions for paid sick days.
Under the new law, Missouri’s minimum wage is set to rise incrementally from the current level of $12.30 per hour to $13.75 in January, culminating in a final increase to $15 by the year 2026. Additionally, the law allows workers to accrue as much as seven paid sick days each year starting in May.
Advocates of the minimum wage initiative argue that this legal action reflects an attempt by businesses to reverse the decision made by the electorate. Terrence Wise, a representative from the Fight for 15 campaign, expressed strong disapproval, stating, “The working class of Missouri, alongside their allies statewide, took to the polls on November 5 to decisively advocate for paid sick days and equitable wages during a free and fair election. It is disheartening to see corporations attempt to undermine our hard-fought victory and silence the voice of the voters who made this possible.”
The business groups are requesting the Missouri Supreme Court to deem the law unconstitutional. According to their petition, “While we believe Proposition A is poor policy that could severely harm Missouri’s businesses, our legal action does not solely rely on this argument. Instead, we contend that the election irregularities and constitutional violations are so substantial that the results of the election must be overturned, and Proposition A invalidated.”
Missouri is one of several states that had measures regarding minimum wage or sick leave on the ballot this year. For instance, voters in Alaska approved a comparable measure, whereas Californians turned down a proposal to increase the minimum wage for most workers to $18 per hour. In Arizona, the electorate rejected a plan that would allow businesses to pay tipped employees 25% less than the minimum wage, contingent upon their overall pay surpassing that threshold. Likewise, Massachusetts voters shot down a proposal for a gradual wage increase for tipped workers to align their earnings with those of other employees.
In Nebraska, voters did approve a proposal requiring many employers to offer sick leave, but this measure does not address wage increases. Business organizations assert that Missouri voters were not accurately informed about the financial implications of the law on local governments and the specific companies and employees it would impact. For instance, certain government employees and those working for businesses earning less than $500,000 annually are exempt from the paid sick leave requirements. A brief summary provided to voters about the ballot measure did not fully disclose the groups of workers that would be exempt.
As of now, no hearings have been scheduled regarding the lawsuit.