Missouri's Prevailing Wage Law establishes a minimum wage rate for public works projects in Missouri valued over $75,000. Examples of public works projects include bridges, roads and government buildings. The Prevailing Wage Law applies to all public works projects constructed by or on behalf of state and local public bodies.
The rates must be incorporated into contract specifications for all public works jobs. This is the minimum wage rate required for the project. Employees are free to bargain for a higher rate of pay. Employers are free to pay a higher rate of pay. The prevailing wage rate differs by county and for different types of work.
Every year, the Division of Labor Standards will release a final Annual Wage Order by July 1. The Annual Wage Order lists the prevailing wage rates in each county for the applicable occupational categories for the next year. The rate is calculated based on information received from Contractor's Wage Surveys, in which contractors voluntarily provide information about their projects that allows the Division to calculate the prevailing wage.
