{"id":374548,"date":"2016-03-31T21:35:49","date_gmt":"2016-04-01T02:35:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/state\/missouri-law\/missouri-wage-and-hour-laws.html"},"modified":"2018-12-19T18:52:08","modified_gmt":"2018-12-19T23:52:08","slug":"missouri-wage-and-hour-laws","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/state\/missouri-law\/missouri-wage-and-hour-laws.html","title":{"rendered":"Missouri Wage and Hour Laws"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Missouri Wage and Hour Laws<\/h1>\n
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Created by FindLaw’s team<\/a> of legal writers and editors<\/i><\/p>\n\n | Last updated\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

State wage and hour laws include the minimum wage and various types of employee leave, in addition to covering overtime, meals, and breaks. Employee lawsuits against Missouri employers frequently involve Missouri wage and hour laws. The following table highlights the main provisions of Missouri’s wage and working hour laws.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

Code Sections<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Missouri Revised Statutes Title 18: Labor and Industrial Relations<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Minimum Wage<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

$7.85 (2018) In the past, the Missouri minimum wage was the same as the federal minimum wage, but since 2008 has been tied to a cost of living index<\/a> to increase or decrease when the cost of living increases or decreases.<\/p>\r\n

Also, the minimum wage will increase to $8.60 on Jan. 1, 2019, with annual increases until it reaches $12 an hour in 2023.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Prevailing Wage<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Missouri has a special minimum wage rate that varies by county and type of work that’s applicable only to workers on public works construction projects in Missouri. This includes building bridges, roads, and government buildings for state and local governments.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Overtime<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Beginning at 40 hours per week (not 8 hours per day), employees must get overtime pay<\/a> of at least 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate of pay. You can’t waive this right and employers asking you to do so are breaking the law.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Meals & Breaks<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Missouri law doesn’t require employers to provide a lunch hour, although many employers do provide this. Even workers under 16 aren’t entitled to breaks (exception: youth under 16 in the entertainment industry must be given a 15 minute paid rest period<\/a> every 2 hours and a meal break if they work 5.5 hours<\/i>).<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Leave<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Vacation and holiday pay isn’t required. Sick leave doesn’t have to be paid, but the Family & Medical Leave Act<\/a> (FMLA) may apply, providing eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave a year for birth or adoption of a baby, care of a sick family member, or medical leave for themselves.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Severance Pay<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Severance pay is not required, although some employers provide it at their discretion.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Reduction in Wages<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Missouri law requires that employers give their employees a 30-day notice<\/a> of a reduction in wages. This doesn’t apply when an employee is asked to work fewer hours or change jobs to a different one with different duties.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Termination & Final Wages<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Missouri is an "at-will<\/a>" employment state, meaning either the employer or the employee can end the working relationship, as long as it’s not to discriminate based on race, sex, religion, national origin, disability, etc. or contradicts the employment contract. Employees must be paid all wages due on the date of dismissal.<\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>

Enforcement Agency<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

The agency to contact depends on the type of employment related problem you\u2019ve experienced:<\/p>\r\n

Penalties<\/b><\/p>\r\n<\/td>\r\n

Penalties for violating Missouri wage and hour laws vary based on what law was violated. Some of the possible penalties include:<\/p>\r\n