Missouri Governor Repeals Paid Sick Leave Law Approved By Voters

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed nan repeal of a rule that guaranteed paid sick time off for workers and inflationary adjustments to minimum wage. Kehoe signed nan repeal connected Thursday, July 10, and it will officially return effect Aug. 28.

Victory for businesses

The politician says this move will protect mini businesses, calling nan rule “onerous.”

“Conservative activity is astir keeping much money successful nan hands of Missouri families, and little successful authorities coffers,” Kehoe said successful a statement. “Today, we are protecting nan group who make Missouri work—families, occupation creators, and mini business owners—by cutting taxes, rolling backmost overreach, and eliminating costly mandates.”

While it’s a break for businesses, it’s a rustle to workers’ authorities advocates who’d spent years and millions of dollars to get nan rule enacted.

That ballot inaugural passed pinch 58% of nan vote. The authorities Supreme Court past upheld it aft business groups challenged nan validity of nan ballot question.

Workers’ authorities advocates proceed to fight

A spokesperson from Missouri Jobs pinch Justice called nan move “a slap successful nan face.”

“Now workers whitethorn again look nan reality of having nary paid sick clip to return attraction of their families without losing retired connected a check. This move by nan Missouri legislature sets a vulnerable precedent for antiauthoritarian processes successful our state,” Richard Von Glahn, Policy Director of Missouri Jobs pinch Justice, said successful a statement. “I promote business owners successful Missouri to do their champion to instrumentality paid sick time off sloppy of what this measure says to show their dedication to workers and their families.”

That rule would let labor to gain 1 hr of paid sick clip for each 30 hours worked opening May 1. When it’s officially repealed connected Aug. 28, personification moving 40 hours a week could person earned 22 hours of paid sick leave, according to The Associated Press.

Von Glahn has already submitted a projected ballot inaugural to nan Missouri Secretary of State to reinstate nan repealed provisions. That caller measurement would beryllium a law amendment, truthful nan Legislature would not beryllium capable to revise aliases repeal it without different nationalist vote.

Nationwide issue

Fifteen states and Washington, D.C., each have mandatory paid sick leave. Three different states person mandatory paid time off for immoderate reason. Along pinch Missouri, voters successful Nebraska and Alaska besides approved paid sick time off requirements past year. But for illustration Missouri, lawmakers successful some of those states are besides trying to rotation backmost those benefits. Alaska’s came into effect connected July 1.