By Tom Dempsey
KSHB-TV, Kansas City’s 41 Action News, Jan 02, 2019
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A minimum wage increase went into effect across all of Missouri on Tuesday, months after voters in the state approved a measure with more 60 percent support. The change increases minimum wage 75 cents from $7.85 to $8.60 an hour.
At Brewery Emperial in the Crossroads, owner Julie Thompson said the new rate [the brewery raised entry pay earlier] was already helping with hiring at the location.
“It makes putting out job openings much easier,” she said. “By paying staff a wage that makes living easier, they’re happier and our service is better.”
Thompson told 41 Action News that many of her servers and cooks at the restaurant and bar make around minimum wage.
With the change that went into effect on Tuesday, Thompson said she also expected to see less turnover at the location.
“The hours spent and the dollars spent for training, you recognize immediate savings that way,” she said. “From a cost standpoint, as a business owner you don’t have to be training all the time and you can keep staff.” ...
As a result of the ballot measure passed in November, minimum wage will increase in Missouri 85 cents annually until 2023 when it reaches $12 an hour.
Moving forward, calls to increase minimum wage even more will likely continue.
“I don’t think it’s enough yet to create great excitement,” Thompson said. “It’s a move in the right direction.”
Copyright 2019 Scripps Media, Inc.