Mixed Results for Labor Rights in Recent State Elections

In the November 2024 elections, voters in Alaska and Missouri approved measures to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027 and 2026, respectively, with future adjustments for inflation. Both states, along with Nebraska, also passed measures requiring employers to provide paid sick leave. Alaska's measure includes a ban on captive audience meetings. Meanwhile, a California proposal to increase the minimum wage to $18 remains undecided. The federal minimum wage has been stagnant at $7.25 since 2009.