Missouri Repeals Paid Sick Leave

Last fall, Missouri voters approved a ballot measure implementing paid sick leave in the state of Missouri. Under the ballot measure, as of May 1, 2025, private employers were required to provide  one hour of paid sick and safe leave to employees for every 30 hours worked. However, Missouri’s Governor, Mike Kehoe, has recently signed House Bill 567 which will repeal the earned paid sick time requirement effective August 28, 2025, undoing the voter approved benefit. 

What Does This Mean For Current Paid Sick Leave Requirements? 

Since the roll back of paid sick leave benefits will not take effect until August 28, 2025, employers remain obligated to provide paid sick and safe leave accruals as required under the current law.  

What Happens Next? 

Employers may want to review their internal policies and procedures around paid sick leave. As of August 28, 2025, employers will no longer be required to provide paid sick leave benefits to employees. Employers will need to address and communicate to employees whether and how employees will be able to retain and use the benefits earned between May and August of 2025. 

 Employers who created a new policy or changed existing policies to comply with the new law in May 2025 may want to consider whether to keep the changes in place or reverse course and remove these benefits for employees.  

Conclusion

This may not be the last we hear of paid sick leave requirements in the state of Missouri. The Kansas City Star reported in their newsletter that supporters of paid sick leave have laid the groundwork for a potential campaign to add paid sick leave to the 2026 ballot. Stay tuned.