By Thomas C. Zambito
LoHud (Rockland/Westchester Journal News) and Yahoo News,  December 19, 2024. Also Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Utica Observer Dispatch, Poughkeepsie Journal, Times Herald-Record (Middletown), Daily Messenger (Canandaigua)

New York’s minimum wage gets a 50-cent bump in January, to $16.50 in Westchester, New York City and Long Island and $15.50 in the rest of the state. This will be the first of two 50-cent increases that will bring the minimum wage to $17 downstate and $16 farther north by 2026. ...

New York joins 20 other states that will increase their minimum wage...

By David Winzelberg
Long Island Business News, December 13, 2024

As the minimum wage is set to climb again, small business and labor groups continue to clash on the issue. The minimum wage will increase on Jan. 1 to $16.50 an hour on Long Island, New York City and Westchester County, while the minimum wage for the rest of New York State rises to $15.50 an hour at the same time. ...

“The minimum wage should be increased as rising costs on Long Island still remain a barrier to living, playing and working here,” said...

By: Charlie Keegan
KSHB 41 TV, Kansas City, MO, December 11, 2024

A group of industry leaders in Missouri is asking the state's Supreme Court to throw out the results of November's election on Proposition A.

"I don’t believe voters had a real understanding of what they were voting for," said Buddy Lahl, CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association. ...

Andi Montee co-owns Mokaska Coffee in downtown St. Joseph. The business threw its support behind Proposition A. Montee said the lawsuit was a surprise.

"I feel like it's really trying to get this removed on...

By Samantha Walker
KOAM TV, Joplin, MO, December 11, 2024

Starting Jan. 1st minimum wage in Missouri is set to increase to $13.75 an hour -  and in two years get up to $15.

But Missouri business groups have now filed a legal challenge to the newly passed proposition.

Groups like Business for a Fair Minimum wage support the proposition, in a news release saying "business owners across the state say the minimum wage increase will boost consumer spending and strengthen Missouri's workforce, businesses and economy." ...

Read more

By Gabrielle Teiner
KMIZ TV (ABC 17), Columbia, MO, December 9, 2024

Some representatives of Missouri's business community have filed a petition with the Missouri Supreme Court to overturn Proposition A. ...

Joe Chevalier owner of Yellow Dog Bookshop in Columbia, and advocate for Proposition A, disagrees. ...

"We just voted for it. So it seems pretty clear about the will of the people is in Missouri on this topic," Chevalier said.  ...

More than 500 businesses across the state signed [on] in support of Proposition A.

A group called Business for a Fair Minimum...

By Tim Rowden
St. Louis/Southern Illinois Labor Tribune, November 18, 2024

Missouri workers will see their minimum wage increase and begin earning paid sick days following voters’ overwhelming passage of Proposition A on Nov. 5. ...

More than 500 Missouri businesses in the Missouri Business for a Healthy Economy coalition endorsed Proposition A.

David Burmeister, owner of Midwest Pasta Co. in St. Louis, said, “Proposition A will strengthen Missouri’s workforce and businesses. Raising the minimum wage will increase people’s ability to shop at our business and local businesses across Missouri. We’ve seen that paying better wages is better business. Employees are happier at...

By Ashley Portillo
CBS News, November 15, 2024

At the start of the new year, some Colorado workers will get a bump in pay as Denver's minimum wage will go up 52 cents, from $18.29 to $18.81. ...

Pete Turner is the owner of Illegal Pete's. With more than a dozen locations, he employs about 500 people and has been advocating for higher minimum wage for years.

"I wondered, was there a way that we could make the wage more equitable and more livable and still run a successful business and grow?" said Turner.

At...

By Leah Rainwater
St. Joseph News Press, November 8, 2024

Missouri's Proposition A passed on Tuesday, causing businesses to take a deeper look into how to implement it into their business plan. ...

One local business owner is pleased by Prop A's passage. 

"That was one of the ballot issues that we just cared a lot about and felt strongly about," said Andi Montee, owner of Mokaska Coffee. "So you know, we were happy to support it and happy to see it pass."

Montee said employees at Mokaska already are getting paid more than...

By Steve Kirch
KTUU-TV/KYES-TV (Alaska News Source), Anchorage, November 8, 2024

With Ballot Measure 1 on its way to passing a minimum wage increase, a sick leave mandate for employers, and what supporters have characterized as protecting workers’ rights, supporters are celebrating ... Supporters say it’s about fairness and making the economy stronger.

Vered Mares has owned The Writer’s Block Bookstore and Cafe in Anchorage since 2018 and has fewer than 10 employees. She supports Ballot Measure 1, saying it’s all about paying employees a livable wage and not forcing them to work when they...

By Clara Bates
Missouri Independent, November 7, 2024. Also Yahoo News, MSN, Jefferson City News Tribune, Missouri Business Alert, St. Louis Business Journal, Fulton Sun, St. Joseph Post, Sedalia Democrat, KMOX-FM St. Louis, KBIA-FM Columbia.

A coalition of Missouri business advocacy groups says it is exploring multiple avenues to challenge the implementation of Proposition A — a measure that Missouri voters passed on Tuesday that will raise the state’s minimum wage and guarantee sick leave for some workers. 

The measure passed with 58% of the vote and had the support of various unions and workers’...

Alaska Business Magazine, November 6, 2024

Among all the issues voters decided at the November 5 election, Ballot Measure 1 affects Alaska businesses most directly. ...

“When you pay decent wages and provide paid time off, employees are healthier and more productive. This initiative will boost customer spending, reduce employee turnover, and help businesses, and communities thrive,” says Carey Fristoe, co-owner of Black Spruce Brewing Co. in Fairbanks. “I am honored to have been just one of over 130 businesses that supported this measure.”

Another one of those businesses is Kodiak Island Brewing. Owner Ben...

By Matthew Loh and Juliana Kaplan
Business Insider, November 6, 2024

While economic issues were a major focus of this year's US presidential election, several states put pay directly on the ballot ...  In Missouri, voters opted to raise the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026. ...

A group of Missouri business owners in favor of the measure praised Proposition A's passage on Tuesday evening.

"Proposition A will strengthen Missouri's workforce and businesses," David Burmeister, the owner of Midwest Pasta Co. in St. Louis, said in a press release. "Raising the...

By Kyla Asbury
St. Louis Record, November 6, 2024

JEFFERSON CITY — With all precincts reported, Republicans have won the majority of federal, state and local offices. ... Missouri voters also voted to pass Proposition A, which will raise the minimum wage and enable workers to earn paid sick days. Businesses say this will boost consumer spending and strengthen Missouri’s workforce and businesses. Proposition A will raise the state minimum wage to $15 by 2026.

More than 500 businesses joined the Missouri Business for a Healthy Economy coalition, supporting Proposition A. 

"It is important to...

By Jonathan Shorman
Kansas City Star, November 6, 2024. Also Yahoo News.

Missouri voters on Tuesday approved raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 and guaranteeing paid sick leave to workers, passing a ballot measure supporters said will help lower-income families and individuals. ...

A coalition in favor of Proposition A, Missouri Business for a Health Economy, said it would boost consumer spending, reduce employee turnover and increase worker productivity. “Employees are our greatest assets, and we are happy to invest in our staff with good wages and paid time off,” Jason Provo, owner of...

By Brayden Day
KOMU-TV 8, Columbia, November 6, 2024. Also KBIA-FM (Columbia NPR).

The Missouri minimum wage will increase to $15 an hour by 2026 after Proposition A passed by a significant margin in the general election. The proposition will also require employers to provide workers with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

Columbia business owners who spoke to KOMU 8 on Wednesday were generally happy about the proposition passing and say it will have a positive impact on workers.

"Any time I see minimum wage increases happening, I always feel...