Missouri business groups have taken legal action to challenge a voter-approved law that will raise the state's minimum wage and mandate paid sick leave for workers. The lawsuit, filed by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with restaurant and grocers associations, argues that the law violates a state constitutional requirement that ballot measures address only one issue.
The law, which is set to take effect in stages, will raise Missouri's minimum wage from $12.30 an hour to $13.75 in January and $15 by 2026. Additionally, it will grant workers up to seven paid sick days per year starting in May.
Supporters of the minimum-wage campaign have criticized the legal challenge, accusing businesses of attempting to undermine the will of voters. They emphasize that the law was a result of a democratic process where voters expressed their need for fair wages and paid sick leave.
The business groups have petitioned the Missouri Supreme Court to declare the law unconstitutional, citing election irregularities and constitutional violations. They argue that Proposition A, as the law is known, must be overturned due to these significant issues.
Missouri was one of several states where minimum wage and sick leave measures were on the ballot in the recent election cycle. While Alaska approved a similar measure, California voters rejected a proposal to raise the minimum wage to $18 an hour for most workers. In Arizona and Massachusetts, voters also rejected measures related to minimum wage and tipped workers.
Nebraska voters, on the other hand, approved a measure requiring some employers to provide sick leave, without impacting wages. Business groups in Missouri further contend that voters were misled about the law's implications for local governments and its scope of application to companies and workers.
For instance, the law exempts government employees and workers at businesses making less than $500,000 annually from the paid sick leave provisions. Critics argue that the ballot measure summary provided to voters did not adequately outline all exemptions.
No court hearings have been scheduled yet for the lawsuit, as the legal battle over the minimum wage and paid sick leave law in Missouri continues.
