Todd Smith, Director of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR), recently announced that the Missouri minimum wage will increase $0.40 effective January 1, 2009. Under Section 290.502.2, RSMo (Missouri Revised Statutes), the DOLIR director must calculate an adjustment to the minimum wage based on changes to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) from July to July. Changes are rounded to the nearest 5¢ and take effect the following January. This year’s change will increase the minimum wage from $6.65 to $7.05 per hour for covered workers. Contact Vision Payroll if you have any questions on the Missouri minimum wage increase or visit our Minimum Wage Chart.