COLUMBIA — Minimum wage in Missouri will increase by more than a dollar on Wednesday after voters passed Proposition A by a significant margin in November.
Minimum wage will increase to $13.75 from $12.30, and some employers will also be required to provide their employees with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.
Proposition A will increase the minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026.
Some businesses in Columbia say this increase will have an impact on employees and business owners alike.
People in favor of the proposition believe it is a step in the right direction toward giving minimum wage workers a more livable income. However, people against say it will cause another spike in prices.
“Inflation on food products are through the roof — we’re still at 10-to-12% price increases,” said Buddy Lahl, the CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association. “Adding additional regulations is going to, in turn, continue to add increased prices onto consumers.”
Lahl also believes the mandated paid sick leave could deprive workers of other benefits. “Typically employers provide vacation days and health insurance and then you’d get to sick pay. This is mandating sick pay in front of health insurance and I’m not so sure that’s the right thing to do.”
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce claims Proposition A violates the requirement that ballot measures only address one issue.
A manager at Hitt Mini Mart said business owners can prepare for the wage increase to help keep costs down.
“The best thing that most businesses can do is try to give out deals as much as possible,” Patel said. “Yes, I know prices are going to rise and it will be tough for some people to adjust to the new prices, so the best thing I can do is try to get a deal for them.”
With basic necessities becoming more expensive, experts say higher wages for Columbia residents will go a long way toward keeping the pantry full.
“Currently in 2024, a full-time minimum wage worker earned less than $500 per week,” said Richard Von Glahn, the political director at Missouri Jobs with Justice. “That is not enough to survive in any county in this state. Those rising prices are actually why raising the minimum wage is so important to begin with.”
