Missouri Gov. Mike Parson this week recommended bumping the pay floor for state employees to $15 an hour, and also providing them a 5.5% cost of living adjustment.
The move by the Republican governor comes as agencies in the state are having difficulties filling jobs, and dealing with high workforce turnover. It also mirrors actions other governments around the country are taking to raise pay for public employees as they compete for workers in a tight labor market.
"With many positions across state government facing turnover rates anywhere from 10-100 percent and vacancy rates from 30-100 percent, it is past time for us to make these investments in our state workforce, which remains one of the lowest paid the nation," Parson said.
"Our direct care and front line staff often make less than entry-level retail positions," he added. "These public servants have tough jobs and rarely receive the thanks they deserve, and communities all across the state rely on them everyday."
Parson's plan calls for raising minimum base pay for all state workers to $15 an hour and would raise pay to that level for anyone earning below it. It would also up wages for other workers to address "compression issues" between pay grades after the $15 floor is in place.
The governor is calling for the pay increases as part of a fiscal year 2022 supplemental budget plan that will require legislative approval. Parson will formally introduce this spending blueprint at the outset of a legislative session...
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