St. Louis’s Minimum Wage Increases to $10 Per Hour on May 5

On May 4, 2017, the circuit court lifted the 2015 injunction on St. Louis’s minimum wage ordinance pursuant to the Supreme Court of Missouri’s mandate in Cooperative Home Care, Inc. v. City of St. Louis (No. SC95401). As a result, all covered employers must immediately comply with the requirements of the ordinance, which include paying a minimum wage of $10.00 per hour to all employees working at least 20 hours per year within the geographic limits of the city of St. Louis. Additionally, employers are required to post notices advising employees of their rights under the ordinance and provide—with the first paycheck subject to the ordinance—such notice to all employees who perform at least 20 hours of work in the city within the calendar year.

As indicated in our prior blog post, there is current legislation pending in the Missouri Senate that would repeal St. Louis’s ordinance, as well as any other current or future local laws implementing a minimum wage higher than that established by the state (which is currently $7.70 per hour). However, there is currently no indication when or if that legislation will become law. In the meantime, covered employers should act quickly to comply with the City’s ordinance or face potential prosecution in municipal court and the potential revocation of their business licenses and occupancy permits. For a breakdown of the ordinance’s wage and notice requirements, as well as those businesses that are exempt from the act, see our October 9, 2015 article “Everything You Need to Know About St. Louis’s Minimum Wage Law.”