Jefferson City, MO — A new Missouri law repeals a proposition – approved by a majority of voters – that granted certain workers paid sick leave.
Signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe (R) on July 10, H.B. 567 reverses sick leave provisions included in Proposition A.
Under Prop A, employers with business receipts of more than $500,000 a year were directed to provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Establishments with fewer than 15 workers had to allow employees to earn at least 40 hours per year. Employers with more than 15 workers were required to provide at least 56 hours of paid sick leave.
In a press release, Kehoe said that by signing the bill, “we are protecting the people who make Missouri work – families, job creators and small-business owners.”
In November, 58% of voters in the state approved Prop A. Five months later, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the election results after Republican lawmakers challenged them.
Prop A, which went into effect May 1, extended paid sick leave benefits to an additional 728,000 workers, according to the nonprofit Missouri Budget Project.
On May 15, the state Senate used a rare procedural maneuver to end a Democratic filibuster and force a vote on H.B. 567. The Senate voted 22-11 to approve the bill one day before the end of a legislative session and sent it to Kehoe.
“This move by the Missouri legislature sets a dangerous precedent for democratic processes in our state,” said Richard Von Glahn, policy director for Missouri Jobs with Justice, a coalition of community, labor, faith-based and student groups that supports workers. “It was passed overwhelmingly (by voters), upheld unanimously by the Supreme Court and went into effect as voters intended.”
Von Glahn encourages employers in the state to implement paid sick leave regardless of what the new legislation states “to demonstrate their dedication to workers and their families.”
