Ebony Sims sees wage conversations at her workplace stretch well beyond the state’s lowest earners. Even employees who are not on minimum wage talk about how pay compares and whether it feels fair.
Sims, a business assistant at Lindbergh Dental, said minimum wage laws often set expectations across the workforce because they create a reference point. When the floor for wages rises, employees at higher skill levels also start reassessing their value.
“Minimum wage sets a baseline across industries because it acts as a reference point for pay across the board,” Sims said. “Some employees won’t feel comfortable doing double the work of a minimum-wage job but only making two dollars more. People start to feel undervalued and underpaid.”
Missouri’s minimum wage increased to $15 an hour on Jan. 1, rising from the current $13.75 under Proposition A, a voter-approved measure passed in 2024. The change comes as the national job market shows mixed signals, with steady employment figures alongside economic uncertainty tied to federal budget decisions and shifting trade policies.
Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.2% in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Average weekly earnings rose 3.9% over the same period to $1,243. Economists caution that recent federal job cuts and unpredictable tariffs have made it harder for companies to plan future hiring, renewing focus on wage stability — particularly for lower-paid workers.
Sims said wage increases at the bottom of the pay scale often affect expectations among more skilled employees. In the dental industry, she said additional training and credentials typically come with higher responsibilities — and workers expect their compensation to reflect that.
“I’ve seen it affect higher-paid workers because they’re more skilled and find it unfair when someone with fewer credentials makes as much,” Sims said. “Dental assistants will often go back to school to become an Enhanced Functions Dental Assistant, or EFDA. They can physically and legally do more, so they expect more — and they aren’t shy about demanding it.”
The current $13.75 minimum wage was in effect throughout 2025 and applied to most nonexempt employers in Missouri. Tipped workers must be paid at least half the minimum — $6.88 an hour last year and $7.50 now — with employers required to make up the difference if tips do not bring total earnings to the minimum wage. Retail or service businesses earning less than $500,000 annually are exempt from the state requirement, though many employers remain subject to federal wage laws.
Missouri’s minimum wage has steadily climbed during the past decade, rising from $7.65 in 2015. The schedule approved by voters set the $15 rate effective Jan. 1. Lawmakers later repealed automatic future cost-of-living adjustments that were originally expected to resume after the wage reached that level.
Supporters of higher minimum wages argue that low-wage work has become increasingly unsustainable. A full-time worker earning the federal minimum $7.25 an hour remains below the poverty threshold, according to the Economic Policy Institute. As of 2025, 20 states were still at or below the federal minimum.
Wage disparities also persist across demographic groups. A March 2025 Pew Research Center report found women earn about 85% of what men earn on average and are overrepresented in lower-paying jobs. Federal data from April shows Hispanic workers’ median earnings continue to lag behind those of other racial and ethnic groups, while workers without a high school diploma earn the least overall.
Supporters say raising wages helps reduce turnover and improves morale. Sims said paying well above the minimum wage has shaped a positive culture at Lindbergh Dental, where entry-level roles start around $20 an hour, depending on experience.
“That leads to our employees feeling appreciated,” Sims said. “We have a pretty low turnover rate, and I truly believe that’s because of how fair our wages are.”
Some business owners say the increase to $15 an hour will have little impact because they already pay above the minimum. Edwards, who owns businesses along the Delmar Loop, said the change is unlikely to affect his companies.
“It won’t affect anything I have,” Edwards said. “I pay my employees a good amount anyway.”
Proposition A, which passed with support from 58% of Missouri voters, also required employers to provide paid sick leave beginning May 1, 2025. The Missouri Supreme Court upheld the measure in April following a legal challenge, with business owners from the Missouri Business for a Healthy Economy coalition filing an amicus brief in support.
Edwards said the brief period when paid sick leave was in effect did not disrupt his operations and said he generally supports policies he considers fair.
“I’m all in favor of doing the right thing,” he said.
However, key provisions of Proposition A were later rolled back after Gov. Mike Kehoe signed legislation on July 10 repealing mandatory paid sick leave and eliminating future cost-of-living wage adjustments. The paid sick leave requirement officially ended Aug. 28 after being in effect for nearly four months.
Business groups and some small employers have argued that higher mandated wages can increase labor costs, force price increases or reduce hiring flexibility, especially for smaller operations with thin margins. Supporters counter that higher wages can improve retention, productivity and economic stability for families.
For Sims, the debate ultimately comes back to basic stability for workers.
“Everyone deserves to be able to pay their bills and afford food, no matter their education level,” she said. “Someone with less skill doesn’t deserve to struggle simply because they aren’t qualified for a higher-paying job.”