Written by Kiefer Starbird
With the approval of Proposition A by Missouri voters, there will be significant labor law changes starting in 2025. Missouri minimum wage shall increase from $12.30 to $13.75 per hour in January 2025 and to $15 by January 2026, with annual inflation adjustments thereafter. Missouri will join the top tier of states nationwide with the minimum wage increase (only 6 states have minimum wages of $15 or higher).
Come Spring 2025, a new sick leave benefit will now be administered which shall cause many existing paid time off policies to be modified. The new Paid Sick Time Law will apply to all private sector exceptions. Public employers, such as cities, school districts, and public institutions of higher education, are excluded. It will also not apply to employees subject to collective bargaining agreements until those agreements are renewed, amended, or extended.
The paid sick time will accrue at the rate of 1 hour every 30 hours worked and may be used immediately upon accrual. The sick time may be used for their own mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition to care for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition, for business closures during certain public health emergencies, or for specific domestic violence reasons.
Employees must request paid sick time, and employers may institute a written policy requiring employees to give notice of their need to use earned sick paid time when the need is not foreseeable. The Paid Sick Time Law permits employers to require written documentation only if an employee takes three or more consecutive paid sick time days. The required documentation need only to affirm that the time off was needed for a covered purpose and not require any further explanation of the nature or details of the underlying health need unless required by law.
