COLUMBIA, Mo. — Missouri enterprise teams introduced Monday they’ve filed a lawsuit to attempt to cease a voter-approved legislation that will increase the state’s minimal wage and require employers to offer employees paid sick depart.
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Trade, restaurant and grocery retailer associations say the legislation violates a state constitutional requirement that poll measures handle just one challenge as a result of it features a minimal wage improve and paid sick depart.
The legislation would improve the state’s minimal wage from the present $12.30 an hour to $13.75 in January and $15 in 2026. It might give employees as much as seven paid sick days per 12 months beginning in Might.
Minimal wage marketing campaign leaders mentioned corporations are attempting to bend the desire of voters.
“Missouri’s working class, in live performance with allies throughout the state, went to the polls on November 5 to overwhelmingly categorical our want for paid sick depart and truthful wages in a free and truthful election,” mentioned Terrence Clever of Combat for Democracy. 15. “It’s disgusting to me that companies are attempting to steal our victory away and dampen the desire of the voters who made this victory potential.”
Enterprise teams have requested the Missouri Supreme Court docket to declare the legislation unconstitutional.
“Though Proposition A represents dangerous coverage and would have extreme and detrimental impacts on Missouri companies, that isn’t the idea for this motion,” the petition reads. “As an alternative, the election irregularities and constitutional violations are so nice that the election outcomes should be overturned and Proposition A declared invalid.”
Missouri was amongst a number of states the place a vote on the minimal wage or sick depart was handed this 12 months.
Voters in Alaska authorised the same measure, whereas voters in California rejected an try to lift the minimal wage for many employees to $18 an hour. And in Arizona, voters rejected a measure that will have allowed corporations to pay tricks to employees 25% lower than the minimal wage, offered the information pay their complete wages above the minimal wage. In Massachusetts, voters rejected a measure that will have regularly raised the minimal wage for tipped workers till it matched the speed for different workers.
Voters in Nebraska authorised a measure that will require many employers to offer sick depart, however it could not change wages.
Enterprise teams additionally argue that Missouri voters have been misled about how a lot the legislation would value native governments, companies and the employees to whom it could apply.
For instance, authorities workers and employees at corporations making lower than $500,000 yearly are exempt from paid sick depart advantages. The quick abstract of poll procedures offered to voters didn’t describe all exempt workers.
No hearings have been scheduled but to contemplate the case.
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