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What I’ve Been Reading This Week


What turned into a busy week of work travel seems to be what I likely have scheduled for the next few weeks.  Excuse the brief post this week as spending a significant amount of time on the road this week left me with little downtime.  In the interim, I call attention to a proposition that will be on the ballot for voters in Missouri this coming Election Day.  If approved, hourly workers could see a minimum wage increase up to $12/hour within the next few years.  While here are several relevant employment law related measures before voters across the state next month, that one in particular is worth keeping an eye on. 

As always, below are a couple articles that caught my eye this week.


Can Foster Parents Take Additional FMLA Leave After They Adopt a Child?

Jeff Nowak at FMLA Insights addressed a reader question earlier this week in regard to whether a foster parent is entitled to additional FMLA leave once they actually adopt the child.  While Jeff goes in depth and fully addresses the topic, in short, a foster parent is not entitled to additional FMLA leave once they actually adopt the child.  Give the article a read for additional insights; it is well worth it.


Missouri Voters to Decide on Proposition B, a Minimum Wage Proposal, on Election Day

Fresh off the heals of defeating right to work in the state earlier this year, voters in Missouri will have an opportunity to raise the statewide minimum wage rate up to $12/hour by 2023.  As Celeste Bott at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch writes, after prior efforts to raise minimum wage rates in the state were defeated a few years ago, minimum wage advocates are feeling a sense of optimism ahead of the November 6th vote.  Proposition B, the minimum wage proposal, would raise the statewide hourly minimum wage rate from $7.85/hour to $8.60/hour starting January 1st and then increase by a rate of $.85/hour every year until 2023.  While there is no definitive front runner on how the proposition will play out, it is noticeable that significant money has been spent in support of it heading into Election Day.  That big spending seemed to work out back in August when right to work was defeated.  Perhaps there will be a repeat come November 6th?

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