Missouri and Nebraska Aim to Lower Minimum Wage for Minors

On Feb. 5, Nebraska lawmakers passed a bill (LB258) heading to the governor’s desk that would lower the minimum wage for workers aged 14 to 15 from US$15 to $13.50 an hour, while allowing a 90-day training wage of $13.50 for 16-to-19-year-olds. This legislation alters the $15 minimum wage approved by voters in 2022.

State senators supporting the bill say the legislation will aid small businesses, a news agency reported. Opponents of the bill said young people are discouraged to learn that what they are contributing isn’t seen as enough, and that it will make it difficult for them to switch jobs and gain more experience.

The 2022 ballot initiative reports that about 60% of Nebraskans voted for a $15 minimum wage for everyone and an adjusted wage increase based on the current economy.

The bill would also cap minimum wage increases at 1.5% or $0.26 per year for everyone. The bill still needs to be signed by Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen before it becomes law. If signed, it would be implemented 90 days after the legislative session ends.

In Missouri, a bill introduced last week also seeks to support small businesses by lowering the minimum wage for people under 18. Those opposed said age discrimination should not be legislated in Missouri and that some families rely on teenagers’ wages.

Missouri’s minimum wage has nearly doubled in the past decade, increasing from $7.65 in 2016 to $15 in 2026. The legislation would create a separate minimum wage for Missouri employees under age 18. The new minimum wage rate for minors would be $12.30 per hour.

As CMM previously reported, workers in Florida could agree to work for less than the state minimum wage under a bill in a Florida House committee.