Missouri employment law gives workers a $15.00 minimum wage starting January 1, 2026, overtime pay for hours past 40 in a week, protection from discrimination at employers with six or more workers, and the right to sue if fired for reporting illegal conduct or serving on a jury. Employment is at-will by default, but that default has real limits. Enforcement runs through two state bodies: the Missouri Commission on Human Rights for discrimination claims, and the Division of Labor Standards for wage disputes.
At-Will Employment and Its Limits
Missouri is an at-will state. Either you or your employer can end the job at any time, without notice and without a stated reason. That cuts both ways, and it is the starting point for almost every Missouri employment question.
At-will does not mean an employer can fire someone for any reason at all. The Whistleblower’s Protection Act, Mo. Rev. Stat. § 285.575, protects workers who report illegal conduct or refuse to take part in activity that violates a clear mandate of public policy. An employer who fires someone for either reason can be sued for damages. The statute also declares that it, together with Chapter 213 (anti-discrimination) and Chapter 287 (workers’ compensation), provides the exclusive remedy for unlawful employment practice claims in Missouri.1Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 285.575 – Citation of Law, Definitions, At-Will Employment Doctrine Codified, Protected Persons, Prohibited Discharge, Action for Damages
Beyond whistleblowing, an employer cannot fire you for filing a workers’ compensation claim, for responding to a jury summons, or because of your membership in a protected class under the Missouri Human Rights Act. Anything outside those carve-outs generally sits within the employer’s discretion.
Minimum Wage in 2026
The Missouri minimum wage is $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026, for most private-sector employees. Voters approved a phased schedule that ran $13.75 in 2025 and $15.00 in 2026. If the federal minimum wage is higher, the higher rate applies, but Missouri’s rate has exceeded the federal floor for years.2Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 290.502 – Minimum Wage Rate, Increase or Decrease
One caveat matters. In mid-2025, the Missouri state senate passed legislation to repeal parts of the ballot initiative, including planned cost-of-living adjustments. The final status of the repeal depends on the governor’s action, and the statute does not spell out how the rate will move after 2026. Confirm the current rate with the Missouri Department of Labor before relying on any figure.
Overtime
Non-exempt workers who log more than 40 hours in a single workweek are entitled to one-and-a-half times their regular hourly rate for the excess hours. Missouri tracks federal overtime standards here.3Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 290.505 – Overtime Compensation, Applicable Number of Hours, Exceptions
Executive, administrative, and professional employees are commonly exempt, mirroring the federal Fair Labor Standards Act categories. Whether an exemption actually applies turns on job duties and salary level, not on the title an employer chooses. Calling someone a “manager” does not remove overtime rights if the day-to-day work is not managerial.
Discrimination Protections
The Missouri Human Rights Act, in Chapter 213 of the Missouri Revised Statutes, bars workplace discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, and age. Age protection covers workers between 40 and 70. The Act reaches hiring, firing, promotions, pay, and the terms and conditions of employment generally.4Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 213.010 – Definitions
Missouri’s threshold is lower than federal law’s. The Act applies to employers with six or more employees working at least 20 calendar weeks in the current or preceding year. Federal Title VII only reaches employers with 15 or more employees, so a much larger set of small Missouri businesses is covered by state law. Religious organizations and the associations they own or operate are excluded from the statutory definition of “employer.”4Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 213.010 – Definitions
Harassment, segregation, and any adverse employment action taken because of protected status are unlawful. Employers must also provide reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities unless doing so would create an undue hardship. Ordinary cost or inconvenience does not qualify as undue.
Leave Rights
Missouri does not require employers to provide paid vacation or general personal leave. The state’s leave mandates are narrow and situation-specific.
Voting
Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 115.639, employees get three hours off on election day to vote, unless they already have three consecutive non-working hours while polls are open. The time is paid, and the worker must request it before election day. The employer can pick which three-hour window the worker uses.5Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 115.639 – Three Hours Off Work to Vote, Interference by Employer a Class Four Offense
Jury Duty
An employer cannot fire, discipline, or threaten a worker for responding to a jury summons. An employer also cannot force the worker to use vacation, personal, or sick leave to cover jury service. A worker fired in violation of this rule has 90 days to sue for lost wages and other damages, and a court can order reinstatement.6Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 494.460 – Employers Prohibited From Disciplining Employees Because of Jury Duty
Domestic and Sexual Violence Leave
The Victims’ Economic Safety and Security Act requires unpaid leave for employees who are victims of domestic or sexual violence, or whose family or household members are victims. The leave covers medical treatment, counseling, safety planning, relocation, legal proceedings, and services from a victim assistance organization. Amounts depend on employer size:
- Employers with 50 or more employees: up to two workweeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period.
- Employers with 20 to 49 employees: up to one workweek of unpaid leave in a 12-month period.
Employers with fewer than 20 workers are not covered.7Missouri Revisor of Statutes. Missouri Code 285.630 – Unpaid Leave Provided, Amount of Leave, Notice by Employee, Certification Requirements
Paid Sick Leave
Voters approved paid sick leave as part of Proposition A in November 2024, which required employers to provide one hour of paid sick time per 30 hours worked, with annual caps of 56 hours at employers with 15 or more workers and 40 hours at smaller employers. It was set to take effect May 1, 2025. In May 2025, the Missouri state senate passed legislation to repeal the paid sick leave provision. Whether the repeal was signed into law affects whether the requirement is in force. Confirm current status with the Missouri Department of Labor before relying on it.
Final Paycheck After Termination
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.110 requires a discharged employee to receive all wages due, and employers who unreasonably delay payment can face penalties. If you were fired and your final check has not arrived promptly, contact the Division of Labor Standards or read the statute directly. The penalty structure is designed to make prompt payment cheaper than delay.
How To File a Complaint
Where you file depends on the problem. Discrimination and harassment go to one agency; unpaid wages go to another.
Discrimination and Harassment
File with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights within 180 days of the date you learned about the discriminatory action. The clock runs from when you found out, not from the effective date of a demotion or firing. Miss the deadline and the Commission loses jurisdiction to investigate.8Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. File a Complaint of Discrimination
Filing with the Commission is a prerequisite to suing. Even if you plan to go straight to court with an attorney, the administrative filing has to come first. After investigation, the Commission may issue a right-to-sue letter that lets you take the case to court.9Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Discrimination Complaint Assessment
Unpaid Wages or Overtime
File with the Division of Labor Standards within the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. The Division will investigate whether the employer violated the Minimum Wage Law. It cannot pursue your claim in court on your behalf. If the investigation confirms a violation, actually recovering the money owed usually requires a private lawsuit.10Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. File a Minimum Wage Complaint
The federal Fair Labor Standards Act sets a two-year statute of limitations for wage claims, extended to three years where the employer’s violation was willful. Those deadlines matter when a Missouri claim also implicates federal overtime or minimum wage rules, so moving quickly preserves both avenues.