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Gov. Parson recommends wage increase for state Missouri employees

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson is recommending an 8.7% cost of living adjustment for all state employees.

Parson also suggested a $2 per hour shift differential for Missouri employees working overnight shifts at high-need communal care facilities.

The General Assembly must approve Parson's salary increase recommendation before it can be implemented. Parson says he hopes the increase goes into effect by March 1st.

"There is no question that the recruitment and retention of state employees have been a severe problem for our state, and we must do better," Parson said in a written statement. "This is why we are again recommending an immediate cost of living increase for our state team."

There are currently around 7,000 open jobs in the Missouri government, according to Parson.

The recommendation was part of Parson's early supplemental budget for the 2023 fiscal year, which was delivered to the General Assembly on Wednesday.

Parson's budget pay plan proposal would allocate $151.2 million in the state workforce, and $82.4 million in general revenue.

The 8.7% increase was determined by "the increase given to Social Security recipients this year and the Consumer Price Index determined by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics," according to a news release from Parson's office.