Missouri Employment Laws 2026

Missouri employment law provides a blend of state-specific wage protections and reliance on federal standards for most other employment matters. The most significant development in 2025 is the increase of the statewide minimum wage to $13.75/hour, while the mandatory paid sick leave law was repealed effective August 28, 2025.

Missouri remains a right-to-work state, meaning workers cannot be required to join or financially support a union. Other protections such as leave, discrimination enforcement, and workplace safety are primarily governed by federal law.

Missouri Employment Law Reference Table

At a Glance – Missouri Employment Law Highlights

• Minimum Wage: $13.75/hr statewide; tipped employees $6.88/hr (50% of minimum wage)
• Overtime: 1.5x pay after 40 hrs/week; exemption for retail businesses under $500k in sales
• Meal & Rest Breaks: None required for adults
• Paid Sick Leave: Repealed effective August 28, 2025
• Family Leave: Federal FMLA only
• Jury Duty: Unpaid leave; employers cannot force PTO usage
• Voting Leave: 3 hours paid if polls not otherwise accessible
• Right-to-Work: Yes — unions cannot mandate membership or dues

Working Hours & Rest Breaks

• Overtime: Missouri requires overtime at 1.5x pay after 40 hours per week, consistent with FLSA. Retail establishments with annual gross sales under $500,000 are exempt from state overtime law.
• Meal & Rest Breaks (Adults): No state requirement. If offered, breaks under 20 minutes must be paid under federal law.
• Breaks for Minors (Entertainment Industry): Workers under 16 must receive a meal break every 5.5 hours and a 15-minute rest break for every 2 consecutive hours worked.
• Exemption Threshold: Missouri follows the federal FLSA salary basis test ($684/week or $35,568/year).

Leave Entitlements

• Paid Sick Leave: Initially established but repealed August 28, 2025. Employers may still provide sick leave voluntarily but are not required.
• Family and Medical Leave (FMLA): Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks unpaid leave for qualifying reasons (birth, adoption, medical, or caregiving).
• Jury Duty Leave: Required but unpaid. Employers cannot require workers to use vacation or sick time.
• Voting Leave: Employees are entitled to 3 paid hours to vote if their work schedule does not allow 3 consecutive nonworking hours while polls are open.
• Military Leave: Covered by federal USERRA protections.

Equal Employment & Anti-Discrimination

• Protected Classes (Missouri Human Rights Act): Race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, and age (40–70).
• Limitations: Unlike some states, Missouri does not explicitly protect sexual orientation or gender identity under state law (though federal EEOC interpretation applies in many cases).
• Enforcement: The Missouri Commission on Human Rights enforces complaints alongside the EEOC.

Workplace Safety

• Governed by federal OSHA standards.
• Missouri has no state-specific safety program.
• Employees are protected from retaliation for reporting unsafe conditions.

Wage Payment Rules

• Minimum Wage: $13.75/hr effective Jan 2025.
• Tipped Minimum Wage: $6.88/hr (50% of state minimum).
• Final Paychecks: All final wages must be issued on the day of discharge.
• Wage Reductions: Employers may lower an employee’s wage only with 30 days’ written notice.
• Vacation & PTO: Not mandated by law; left to employer policies.

Employee Privacy Rights

• No broad state-level privacy laws.
• Personnel File Access: Governed by employer policy.
• Background Checks: Must comply with federal FCRA requirements.
• At-Will Employment: Missouri follows at-will rules; employees may be terminated for any reason except for unlawful discrimination or retaliation.

Union & Collective Bargaining Rights

• Missouri is a right-to-work state: employees cannot be forced to join or support a union.
• Federal NLRA rights apply, allowing workers to organize and bargain collectively.
• The state does not add protections beyond federal law.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

• Minimum Wage & Overtime: Employers may face back pay orders, penalties, and attorney fees under state and federal law.
• Discrimination: Remedies include reinstatement, back pay, and compensatory damages.
• Wage Payment Violations: Employers must pay penalties for failing to issue final wages on the discharge date.
• Jury Duty Retaliation: Employers may be fined for adverse action against employees serving on a jury.

HR Notification & Documentation Checklist

☐ Track hours worked and monitor federal/state overtime thresholds
☐ Ensure compliance with $13.75/hr minimum wage and $6.88/hr tipped wage
☐ Prepare for end of state-mandated sick leave (effective Aug 28, 2025)
☐ Issue final wages on discharge day; 30-day notice required for wage cuts
☐ Document jury duty leave as unpaid and protect employees from retaliation
☐ Provide up to 3 hours paid time off for voting where applicable
☐ Maintain anti-discrimination policies per MHRA and federal EEOC rules
☐ Track FMLA leave eligibility and notices for covered employees
☐ Train managers on entertainment industry break rules for minors
☐ Maintain OSHA-required workplace safety and training records