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St. Louis, MO Employment Preemption: Minimum Wage Preemption (2026)

Few Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Preemption statute
MO §285.055
Killed STL ordinance
2017 $10/hr law
State minimum
Voter-indexed
Federal floor
$7.25 (FLSA)

Summary

Missouri §285.055 bars cities like St. Louis from setting a minimum wage above the state floor, ending the city's 2017 $10/hour ordinance and limiting living-wage rules to public contracts and subsidies.

285.055. (Repealed L. 2017 H.B. 1194 & 1193) -------- ---- end of effective 28 Aug 2017 ----

Source: Missouri Revised Statutes §285.055View official code

Full Breakdown

St. Louis enacted a $10/hour minimum wage in 2017, but the Missouri General Assembly responded by passing §285.055, which preempts any local minimum wage above the state rate. The Missouri Supreme Court allowed the preemption to take effect, ending the higher city floor and leaving private employers on the state minimum wage (which Missouri voters have separately raised through Proposition B and successor measures). St. Louis's surviving wage rules attach to city contracts and subsidies through the Living Wage Ordinance: those survive preemption because the city acts as contractor, not labor regulator. Federal FLSA still sets a floor of $7.25.

Violations & Fines

Local employers must pay at least Missouri's voter-set minimum wage; underpayment is enforced by the Missouri Department of Labor and the federal Department of Labor under FLSA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can St. Louis raise the minimum wage today?
Not for private employers generally. MO §285.055 preempts any higher local minimum. Cities can still set wages for their own contractors and subsidy recipients.
What is Missouri's current minimum wage?
Missouri voters approved Proposition B in 2018 and Proposition A in 2024, indexing the state minimum wage above the federal floor; check the Department of Labor for the current rate.

Sources & Official References

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