In November 2024, Missouri voters approved Proposition A, which provided changes to the state’s minimum wage schedule and enacted a new state-wide law requiring most private employers to allow all employees to accrue and use sick leave.
Minimum Wage Law
Missouri’s minimum wage increased this year and will increase again next year. Starting January 1, 2027, and each subsequent year on January 1, Missouri’s minimum wage will be adjusted according to cost-of-living changes as indicated by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) published by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The revised minimum wage schedule is as follows:
| Effective Date | Minimum Wage |
| January 1, 2025 | $13.75 |
| January 1, 2026 | $15.00 |
| January 1, 2027; and each subsequent year | Adjusted based on CPI-W |
Paid Sick Time Benefits
The effective date for Missouri’s new paid sick leave law, a significant change in the state’s labor landscape, is just a few weeks away. However, employers must notify employees and display the new labor law poster in their workplaces now.
Who is Eligible for Paid Sick Time?
The new law applies to all private employers in Missouri. Limited exemptions include employees engaged in educational, charitable, religious, or nonprofit activities and employees in private retail and service businesses with annual gross sales below $500,000.
Earned Paid Sick Time Entitlements
Beginning May 1, 2025, employees accrue and are entitled to earned paid sick time at the rate of one hour for every 30 hours worked. Employers with 15 or more employees must provide up to 56 hours of paid sick time per year, while employers with fewer than 15 employees must provide up to 40 hours of paid sick time.
Employers may provide paid sick time as it is accrued or front-load all the earned paid sick time that an employee is expected to accrue in a year as a lump sum at the beginning of the year.
Use of Paid Sick Time
Earned sick time may be used for the following reasons:
- An employee’s mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, including diagnosis, treatment, and preventive medical care;
- Care of a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, including diagnosis, treatment, and preventive medical care;
- Closure of the employee’s place of employment due to a public health emergency;
- Care of a child whose school district closes due to a public health emergency; or
- Absence due to matters relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
What Should Employers Do
Employers must ensure their employees receive at least the revised minimum wage immediately. They must also ensure employees are aware of the new minimum wage and that payroll programs are updated accordingly.
Employers must provide written notice about the new paid sick leave benefits to all employees by April 15, 2025. The Missouri Department of Labor (MDOL) provides a template, which is available here. Also, beginning April 15, 2025, employers must display the new Earned Paid Sick Time poster provided by the MDOL, available here, in a conspicuous and accessible area in each workplace.
While many employers may already have existing paid leave policies in place, reviewing such policies to ensure adherence to the new paid sick time law is imperative. Prepare HR Teams, managers, and supervisors about employees’ rights and new policies. Ensure employees start accruing paid sick time beginning May 1, 2025.
How Can LaborLawCenter Help
Our comprehensive Missouri Labor Law Poster includes both the new Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time posters. This all-in-one poster is guaranteed to comply with current mandatory state and federal labor law postings. Staying compliant is easy and worry-free with our automatic labor law poster replacement service, which ensures that your business always has the latest posters without you having to keep track of updates. LaborLawCenter is committed to being your partner in workplace labor law compliance.
