You can recover unpaid wages, overtime, and tips in Missouri if you know your rights and how to enforce them. Does your employer owe you unpaid wages or overtime? Or, maybe you need information on the breaks you’re entitled to, overtime rules, or your right to tips. If so, you'll find the information you need on this site to learn what you can do in Missouri to get the money you have earned.
Here, we answer many common questions about wage and hour law in Missouri, including:
- your rights to pay and what to do if you are owed pay
- whether you are eligible for overtime pay in Missouri
- your right to tips in Missouri
- what breaks you are entitled to in Missouri, and
- how to file a wage claim against your employer with the Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations.
A few things to keep in mind as you explore this site:
1. Wage and hour laws differ from state to state.
Most states have enacted their own wage and hour regulations and procedures for employees to follow if they have been treated unfairly. These regulations and procedures vary from state to state. Start by finding out about your rights to pay in Missouri.
2. Some states simply adopt the federal minimum wage and overtime standards, but most states have higher standards.
The U.S. Department of Labor covers minimum wage, overtime, and other wage and hour matters. In states that have not adopted their own wage and hour regulations and procedures, your rights are set out by the U.S. Department of Labor.
The Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations is the agency that enforces labor laws in Missouri. Check there to find out more about minimum wage and overtime rules in Missouri.
The minimum wage in Missouri is $12.30 an hour. Because this is higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25, employees in Missouri must be paid at least $12.30 an hour.
Saint Louis Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in St. Louis is $12.30 an hour. The city of St. Louis passed its own minimum wage law in 2017, but the law was in effect for only a few months. The Missouri state legislature passed a law that prohibits local governments from requiring employers to pay a higher minimum wage than the state-wide amount. If you work in St. Louis, you are entitled to the state minimum wage, currently $12.30.
Saint Louis County Minimum Wage
The minimum wage in Saint Louis County is $12.30 an hour, the state minimum wage. Missouri law prohibits city and county governments from adopting a local minimum wage that's higher than the state minimum wage.
Check Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations to find out more.
3. You are entitled to certain payments when your employment ends.
Your final paycheck must include certain amounts, regardless of whether you resigned, were laid off, or were fired. Find out whether your former employer met Missouri’s final paycheck requirements. If you are fired, laid off, or otherwise involuntarily lose your job in Missouri, your employer must pay your final paycheck immediately. If you do not receive your final paycheck upon dismissal, send a certified letter to the employer demanding payment. If the employer does not pay you within seven days, it may be liable to you for continued wages up to 60 days after the dismissal date. Missouri law does not address when wages owed are due after you quit.