Question 1

What is the minimum wage in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

$15.00 per hour since January 1, 2026. Retail and service businesses with annual gross income under $500,000 are not covered by the state minimum wage.

Question 2

What is the tipped minimum wage in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

Employers must pay tipped employees at least 50% of the minimum wage ($7.50 per hour in 2026), plus whatever is needed to bring total pay with tips to at least $15.00 per hour.

Question 3

What are the overtime rules in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek.

Question 4

When do I get my final paycheck if I'm fired in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

Unpaid wages are due on the day of discharge. If the employee asks in writing for the pay to be sent and it does not arrive within 7 days, the employee's wages continue as a penalty for up to 60 days. Commission-based employees whose pay requires an audit are excluded.

Question 5

How often must employees be paid in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

Corporations (and railroad operators) must pay at least semimonthly, within 16 days after the close of each payroll period. Executive, administrative, professional and commissioned employees may be paid monthly.

Question 6

Do employers have to give pay stubs in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

Corporations covered by the pay-frequency law must give employees, at least once a month, a statement showing total deductions for the period.

Question 7

Is paid sick leave required in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

No statewide paid sick leave law. The paid sick time law approved by voters in 2024 was repealed effective August 28, 2025.

Question 8

Is Missouri an at-will employment state?

Accepted Answer

Missouri follows at-will employment. State law limits the exceptions to those in the Whistleblower's Protection Act (reporting unlawful acts or serious misconduct, or refusing to break the law), the Missouri Human Rights Act, and workers' compensation retaliation, and bars courts from expanding them.

Question 9

Is it illegal to fire someone for reporting a violation in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

Employers may not fire an employee for reporting the employer's unlawful act to the proper authorities, reporting serious misconduct that violates clear public policy to the employer, or refusing to carry out an illegal directive. Supervisors whose job is to report on the matter are not protected.

Question 10

Where do I file a job discrimination complaint in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

Missouri Commission on Human Rights. Covers employers with 6 or more employees. A complaint must be filed with the Commission within 180 days of the discriminatory act.

Question 11

How do I apply for unemployment in Missouri?

Accepted Answer

Missouri Division of Employment Security. File for unemployment through the Division's online services (UInteract).

Minimum wage	$15.00 per hour since January 1, 2026. Retail and service businesses with annual gross income under $500,000 are not covered by the state minimum wage. No further increase is scheduled under current state law. Statute: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=290.502 Source: RSMo 290.502.3; Missouri Division of Labor Standards minimum wage page
Tipped minimum wage	Employers must pay tipped employees at least 50% of the minimum wage ($7.50 per hour in 2026), plus whatever is needed to bring total pay with tips to at least $15.00 per hour. Source: Missouri Division of Labor Standards minimum wage page
Overtime	1.5 times the regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek. Source: RSMo 290.505
How often you must be paid	Corporations (and railroad operators) must pay at least semimonthly, within 16 days after the close of each payroll period. Executive, administrative, professional and commissioned employees may be paid monthly. Source: RSMo 290.080
Pay stubs	Corporations covered by the pay-frequency law must give employees, at least once a month, a statement showing total deductions for the period. Source: RSMo 290.080

Final paycheck if fired or laid off	Unpaid wages are due on the day of discharge. If the employee asks in writing for the pay to be sent and it does not arrive within 7 days, the employee's wages continue as a penalty for up to 60 days. Commission-based employees whose pay requires an audit are excluded. Source: RSMo 290.110
Unemployment benefits	Missouri Division of Employment Security. File for unemployment through the Division's online services (UInteract). Source: Missouri Department of Labor, Unemployed Workers

At-will employment and exceptions	Missouri follows at-will employment. State law limits the exceptions to those in the Whistleblower's Protection Act (reporting unlawful acts or serious misconduct, or refusing to break the law), the Missouri Human Rights Act, and workers' compensation retaliation, and bars courts from expanding them. Source: RSMo 285.575.3
Whistleblower and retaliation protection	Employers may not fire an employee for reporting the employer's unlawful act to the proper authorities, reporting serious misconduct that violates clear public policy to the employer, or refusing to carry out an illegal directive. Supervisors whose job is to report on the matter are not protected. Source: RSMo 285.575 (Whistleblower's Protection Act)
Job discrimination complaints	Missouri Commission on Human Rights. Covers employers with 6 or more employees. A complaint must be filed with the Commission within 180 days of the discriminatory act. Employer definition: https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=213.010. Commission: https://labor.mo.gov/mohumanrights/discrimination Source: RSMo 213.075; RSMo 213.010

Missouri Employment Law: Wages, Final Pay, Breaks and Your Rights at Work

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