Missouri Employment Law — full calculator

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Missouri's minimum wage in 2026?

  Missouri's minimum wage is $15.00 per hour as of January 1, 2026 — more than double the federal FLSA floor of $7.25/hr. HB 567 (2025) froze future CPI-based automatic adjustments. Source: Missouri Department of Labor (labor.mo.gov), as of 2026.

• What must Missouri employers pay tipped employees in 2026?

  Tipped employees in Missouri must receive at least $7.50/hr in direct wages from their employer (50% of the $15.00 minimum wage). If an employee's tips don't bring total hourly compensation to $15.00, the employer must pay the difference. Source: labor.mo.gov/dls/minimum-wage/tipped-employees, as of 2026.

• When must a Missouri employer pay a fired employee's final wages?

  Missouri law (RSMo §290.110, as of 2026) requires all wages to be paid at the time of dismissal. If wages aren't paid immediately, the employee must send a certified-mail demand; the employer then has 7 days to respond. If still unpaid, penalty wages accrue for up to 60 additional days.

• What is the penalty for a late final paycheck in Missouri?

  If a Missouri employer fails to pay a discharged employee after a certified-mail request, penalty wages continue to accrue at the employee's regular daily rate for up to 60 days (RSMo §290.110, as of 2026). Missouri has no state agency to collect wages — employees must file a private lawsuit.

• When must a Missouri employer pay wages when an employee quits?

  Missouri has no specific statutory deadline for voluntarily separated employees — wages are generally due by the next regular pay period. There is no penalty statute for quit situations, and recovery requires private legal action (as of 2026).

• Does Missouri have mandatory overtime rules beyond the FLSA?

  No. Missouri follows the FLSA federal overtime standard: time-and-a-half (1.5×) for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Missouri has no daily overtime threshold (such as California's 8-hour rule) and no double-time requirement. Source: labor.mo.gov/dls/general/hours-travel-overtime, as of 2026.

• Are employers required to provide meal or rest breaks in Missouri?

  No. Missouri law does not require employers to provide meal breaks or rest periods for adult employees. The only exception involves youth under 16 in the entertainment industry. This follows the FLSA's silence on break mandates. Source: labor.mo.gov/dls/general, as of 2026.

• Does Missouri require paid sick leave?

  No. Missouri has no state-mandated paid sick leave law. Paid leave benefits are at the employer's discretion. Federal FMLA may provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for qualifying reasons. Source: labor.mo.gov, as of 2026.

• Are non-compete agreements enforceable in Missouri?

  Yes, with limits. Missouri applies a common-law reasonableness test: non-competes must protect a legitimate business interest (trade secrets or customer relationships), be reasonable in duration (generally ≤2 years), and limited in geographic scope. RSMo §431.202 codifies standards for non-solicitation covenants (≤1 year is conclusively presumed reasonable). Missouri courts may blue-pencil overbroad agreements, as of 2026.

• Where can I file a wage complaint in Missouri?

  Missouri's Division of Labor Standards does not collect private wages on behalf of employees. Workers must pursue claims through small claims court (claims under $5,000) or circuit court. The federal Wage and Hour Division (dol.gov/agencies/whd) handles FLSA violations. Source: labor.mo.gov, as of 2026.