Missouri companies sue to stop a law that raises minimum wage and requires paid sick leave
COLUMBIA, Monday — Missouri business groups announced Monday that they have filed a lawsuit to try to get a law approved by voters that will increase the state’s minimum wage and require employers to give workers paid sick leave.
The powerful Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, restaurant and grocery associations say the law violates a state constitutional requirement that ballot measures address only one issue, because they included raising the minimum wage and paid sick leave.
The law will increase the state’s minimum wage from the current $12.30 per hour to $13.75 in January and $15 in 2026. The law will give workers up to seven paid sick days per year starting in May.
Leaders of the minimum wage campaign said companies are trying to undo the will of voters.
“Missouri’s working class, working closely with allies across the state, went to the polls on November 5 to overwhelmingly express our need for paid sick days and fair wages in a free and fair election,” said Terrence Wise of the Fight for 15. “I find it sickening that corporations are trying to steal away our victory and pacify the will of the voters who made this victory possible.”
The business groups asked the Missouri Supreme Court to rule the law unconstitutional.
“While Proposition A is bad policy and will have extreme and harmful consequences for Missouri businesses, that is not the basis of this action,” the petition said. “Instead, the election irregularities and constitutional violations are so egregious that the election results should be overturned and Proposition A declared invalid.”
Business groups also claim voters have been misled about how much the law will cost local governments and which companies and workers the law will apply to.
For example, government employees and employees at companies making less than $500,000 per year are exempt from paid sick leave rights. A brief summary of the ballot measure provided to voters did not describe all exempt employees.
No hearings have yet been scheduled for the lawsuit.