Proposition A (Prop A), a key ballot measure on the November 5 Missouri election ballot, focuses on raising the minimum wage and increasing the amount of sick time accrued by employees. The minimum wage will increase from $12.30 to $13.75 an hour starting 1/1/2025. It will increase to $15 an hour effective 1/1/2026.
The Community Health Commission of Missouri (CHCM) supports this measure as a step towards our mission to achieve health equity, understanding that economic and health disparities are deeply intertwined. Low-wage workers, particularly women, younger individuals, and those with lower educational attainment, often face barriers to accessing healthcare and taking time off when sick. Raising wages provides these individuals with greater financial stability, which is essential for maintaining overall well-being. Increasing paid sick time ensures that workers can address health needs without risking their jobs or income, leading to healthier communities and reduced health disparities.
What happens if Prop A passes?
If Prop A passes and your job has fifteen or more employees, you would earn at least one hour of paid sick time for every thirty hours you work. If you work 40 hours a week, you would earn about 1.3 hours of sick time a week. You would only be allowed to earn 56 hours of paid sick time a year under the new law, unless your employer sets a higher limit. If your job has less than 15 employees, the rate would be the same. However, you would only be allowed to earn 40 hours of paid sick time. Your employer could set the limit higher if they choose.
You would begin earning sick time on 5/1/2025 or when you start working, whichever is later. At that point, you would be able to carry up to 80 hours of your earned sick time into the following year. Your employer could also loan you paid sick time before you earn it if you need it.
You would be able to use your paid sick time for a variety of reasons, such as taking care of your mental and/or physical health to see a health care provider, or use it to take care for a family member, such as taking a child to an appointment. There are also new measures in place in case there is another pandemic, such as COVID-19. Additionally, if you are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, you can use your paid sick time to take care of issues stemming from that.
Your employer would not be able to require you to find a replacement worker while you are using your earned sick time. However, if you were out of work for three or more consecutive work days using sick time, your employer may require reasonable documentation. Your employer cannot discipline or fire you for taking paid sick time.
Clarifying Questions
Increasing minimum wage can be a controversial subject- some people are worried that jobs will lay employees off, or hours will be cut. Some people celebrate a larger paycheck. Raising the minimum wage influences a number of social and economic policies, so we’re here to answer a few questions:
Minimum wage increases are associated with better long-term health projections and improved mental health. Researchers have noted a decline in smoking prevalence and less deaths as a result of suicide, drugs, or alcohol. Birth weights also improve, and workers take less time off work due to health limitations. When minimum wage increases during childhood, specifically from birth to age 5, we see significant improvements in child health.
It’s a possibility that some jobs will be lost, but research has not shown a correlation between raising the minimum wage and business closures. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office has estimated that an increase to $15 for the federal minimum wage would lift almost a million people out of poverty. They also estimated employment would be reduced by 1.4 million jobs. These are estimates, but the research does not support the idea that higher wages lead to job loss.
If Prop A passes and you’re a single household making minimum wage and working full time in Missouri, you likely aren’t eligible for Medicaid. However, if you were to lose Medicaid coverage, you could be eligible for insurance under the Affordable Care Act instead. In New Jersey, researchers found that an increase to $15 led to a significant number of workers losing Medicaid eligibility. However, most of those workers weren’t enrolled in Medicaid to begin with. If you have insurance through your job, you could see a reduction in benefits. Researchers discovered that for every dollar the minimum wage increases, there is a 1% reduction in employer sponsored benefits. These losses resulted in higher Medicaid enrollment. Overall, there’s no evidence supporting the idea that higher wages lead to lower health insurance rates.
Bottom Line
The CHCM believes that by raising the minimum wage and increasing sick time, Missouri will achieve more equitable conditions where economic barriers to health are reduced. Higher wages and paid sick time not only allow workers to meet basic needs but also provide opportunities for long-term investments in health, such as regular medical care, healthier lifestyles, and stable living conditions. Supporting this measure aligns with our mission to tackle systemic factors contributing to health disparities, promoting overall well-being and economic resilience for marginalized communities.