Ballot Measures Passed by States and Cities Impacting Payroll

On Election Day, voters in states and cities across the country considered ballot measures that will impact payroll in 2025 and beyond.

Approved Minimum Wage, Paid Sick Leave Proposals

Voters passed proposals in Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska that create paid sick leave requirements in those states and raise the minimum wage rates in Alaska and Missouri.

Voters in Portland, Maine, passed an initiative to amend the city’s emergency wage provisions. While voters in Everett, Washington, passed a measure to establish a local minimum wage.

Failed Proposals

Proposals in Arizona, California, Massachusetts, and Washington related to the minimum wage, tip credit, and long-term care insurance failed to pass.

In California, the vote was especially close. Had the proposal passed it would have raised the 2025 minimum wage to $18 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees and to $17 per hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees.

Interested in more state and local payroll coverage? PayrollOrg’s PayState Update eNewsletter is perfect for you.

Lia Coniglio, Esq., is Managing Editor of PayState Update and Senior Manager of State Payroll Information Resources for PayrollOrg.