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Kansas City raises minimum wage to $13

July 20, 2015

The City Council of Kansas City, Mo., on Thursday passed an ordinance raising the minimum hourly wage in the city to $8.50 next month and $13 by Jan. 1, 2020.

The ordinance requires that on Aug. 24, Kansas City employers with more than 15 employees must pay workers 85 cents an hour more than the current state-mandated minimum wage of $7.65 per hour.

Thereafter, the Kansas City minimum wage will increase to $9.82 per hour on Jan. 1, 2017, to $10.96 per hour on Jan. 1, 2018; to $11.98 per hour on Jan. 1, 2019; and to $13 per hour on Jan. 1, 2020. Beginning Jan. 1, 2021, the minimum wage would be adjusted annually based on the cost of living.

The ordinance does not apply to persons 17 years old or younger. Other exemptions include government employees except employees of Kansas City; apprentices; workers in certain volunteer or charitable occupations, and interns working for academic credit. Employers whose workers receive tips as part of their compensation will be required to pay no less than 50% of the minimum wage established by Missouri law.

“When I reported on the state of the city last spring, I said our entire community would suffer as long as people who work hard are unable to bring home enough money to provide for their families,” said Mayor Sly James. “Our action today is an attempt to do the right thing not just for minimum-wage workers today, but for the future of Kansas City.”