Missouri Employment Laws for Employers

Missouri's state minimum wage is $15.00 per hour. (Missouri minimum wage law (DOL WHD state minimum wage table, updated July 1, 2026))

“Missouri Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.00”

“Thereafter, the minimum wage established by this subsection shall be increased by $1.25 per hour, to $15.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2026.”

dol.gov · revisor.mo.gov

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Corporations doing business in Missouri (and railroad operators) must pay wages at least semi-monthly; at the employer's option, executive, administrative and professional employees and employees paid on commission may be paid monthly. (Missouri payday law (DOL WHD State Payday Requirements table))

“Missouri X”

“All corporations doing business in this state, and all persons operating railroads or railroad shops in this state, shall pay the wages and salaries of their employees as often as semimonthly, within sixteen days of the close of each payroll period”

dol.gov · revisor.mo.gov

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Missouri no longer has a statewide paid sick leave mandate: the legislature repealed the state law establishing paid sick time for private employees. (Missouri Senate, HB 567 (2025) bill summary (HCS#2/HBs 567, 546, 758 & 958))

“Furthermore, the act also repeals provisions of law establishing paid sick time for certain private employees.”

“The bill repeals provisions relating to paid sick leave requirements, including, but not limited to, under what conditions paid sick leave must be provided by employers, prohibited actions for employers and violations thereof, recordkeeping requirements, complaint and investigative procedures, a right to a cause of action for retaliation, and confidentiality of information.”

senate.mo.gov · documents.house.mo.gov

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Missouri recognizes a public-policy exception to at-will employment (Fleshner v. Pepose Vision Institute): an at-will employee may not be fired for refusing to violate the law or a clear mandate of public policy, or for reporting wrongdoing. The Whistleblower's Protection Act codifies the existing common-law exceptions, limits their future expansion by the courts and, together with chapters 213 and 287, provides the exclusive remedy for claims of unlawful employment practices. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 285.575.3 (Whistleblower's Protection Act, L. 2017 S.B. 43); Fleshner v. Pepose Vision Institute, P.C., 304 S.W.3d 81 (Mo. 2010) (en banc), as stated in E.D. Mo. No. 4:17-cv-02876)

“This section is intended to codify the existing common law exceptions to the at-will employment doctrine and to limit their future expansion by the courts.”

“Certain exceptions exist, however, including a public-policy exception, which prohibits termination of an at-will employee for either: (1) “refusing to violate the law or any wellestablished and clear mandate of public policy as expressed in the constitution, statutes, regulations promulgated pursuant to statute, or rules created by a governmental body”; or (2) “reporting wrongdoing or violations of law to superiors or public authorities, also known as ‘whistleblowing.’””

revisor.mo.gov · govinfo.gov

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Corporations doing business in Missouri with 7 or more employees must, on a written request sent by certified mail (citing the statute) within one year of separation by an employee with at least 90 days of service, issue within 45 days a signed letter stating the nature and character of service, its duration, and the true cause of discharge or quitting. (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.140.1)

“Whenever any employee of any corporation doing business in this state and which employs seven or more employees, who shall have been in the service of said corporation for a period of at least ninety days, shall be discharged or voluntarily quit the service of such corporation and who thereafter within a reasonable period of time, but not later than one year following the date the employee was discharged or voluntarily quit, requests in writing by certified mail to the superintendent, manager or registered agent of said corporation, with specific reference to the statute, it shall be the duty of the superintendent or manager of said corporation to issue to such employee, within forty-five days after the receipt of such request, a letter, duly signed by such superintendent or manager, setting forth the nature and character of service rendered by such employee to such corporation and the duration thereof, and truly stating for what cause, if any, such employee was discharged or voluntarily quit such service.”

Same official text as quoted above (see the quote; Thomas Jr. v. TPS Parking Management LLC, No. 4:25-cv-00101 (E.D. Mo. Apr. 8, 2025), quoting Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.140.1 · govinfo.gov).

revisor.mo.gov · govinfo.gov

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