Minimum Wage Preemption: Independence vs Kansas City
How do minimum wage preemption rules compare between Independence, MO and Kansas City, MO?
Kansas City has fewer restrictions than Independence.
Independence, MO
Jackson County
Missouri RSMo 71.010 preempts local minimum wage ordinances, requiring cities and counties to follow only the state minimum wage and barring higher local wage floors approved by municipalities.
View full Independence rules →Kansas City, MO
Jackson County
Missouri Revised Statutes §285.055 prohibits Kansas City from setting a minimum wage above the state floor of $12.30 per hour, indexed annually. A 2017 court ruling phased out earlier KC and St. Louis local raises.
View full Kansas City rules →Key Facts Comparison
| Fact | Independence | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| - | - | |
| State floor | - | $12.30 hourly indexed annually |
| Preemption | - | Mo. Rev. Stat. §285.055 |
| Tipped wage | - | 50% of standard minimum |
| Local override | - | Banned for general workforce |
Highlighted rows indicate differences between cities.
Independence FAQ
Kansas City FAQ
Why did KC's $13 minimum fail?
The Missouri General Assembly amended §285.055 in 2017 to retroactively void local minimum wage ordinances, forcing Kansas City and St. Louis to roll back rates to the state floor by August 2017.
Can KC contractors still pay more?
Yes. The preemption applies to general workforce minimum wage. Cities may impose higher wage floors as procurement conditions on their own contractors and tax incentive recipients without violating §285.055.
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