Missouri Paid Sick Leave May Now Be On Leave

In one of the last acts of this year’s legislative session, the Missouri General Assembly repealed the portion of Missouri Prop A that, as of May 1, 2025, requires employers to provide employees one hour of Paid Sick (and Safe) Time for every 30 hours worked. Governor Mike Kehoe is expected to sign the bill into law, which, barring any further legal challenges, will repeal the paid sick leave requirements effective August 28, 2025.

What is Missouri Prop A?

As we reported in our Client Alert “May Day!  May Day! Mo Prop A Update,” Missouri voters approved a ballot initiative in November 2024 requiring employers (with limited exceptions) to provide Paid Sick (and Safe) Time leave, effective May 1, 2025. The ballot initiative also included a provision raising Missouri’s minimum wage to $13.75 per hour as of January 1, 2025, and increasing the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour as of January 1, 2026. In addition to repealing the paid sick leave requirement, the General Assembly’s action on Wednesday night maintains the minimum wage increase that went into effect in January and the one that will go into effect in January 2026, but repeals the requirement that the minimum wage increase or decrease be tied to the Consumer Price Index starting in January 2027. In addition, the bill that is expected to be signed into law extends the new minimum wage requirement to public employers who were previously excluded from the law.

When does the repeal of the Missouri Prop A requirements go into effect?

Assuming the Governor signs the Bill into law, the repeal will not be effective immediately because the Bill does not include an “emergency clause”. Instead, absent any effective challenges as noted below, the current law will remain in effect until August 28, 2025.

Other considerations.

There could be legal challenges to the repeal, including an effort to block the repeal before it takes effect or to enjoin the paid sick leave requirements between May 1 and August 28. We will continue to monitor any potential litigation and advise of any changes to the current status through future alerts.

What Should You Do Now?

Employers who have employees working in Missouri should:

• Continue to comply with the requirements of Missouri Prop A following the May 1 implementation date because the repeal does not go into effect until the Governor signs the law, and even then, it would not become effective until August 28, 2025.

• Review time off and leave policies to confirm compliance with Missouri Prop A during this interim period to ensure compliance for any period of time the law remains in effect.

• Work with your Human Resources or Payroll Departments to ensure the appropriate systems exist to track employees’ accrual and use of earned Paid Sick (and Safe) Time starting May 1, 2025, through the date any repeal becomes effective.

Stay tuned and stay nimble!