If Pain, Yes Gain – Part 131: Missouri Legislature Passes Bill Repealing State Paid Sick Time Law

What You Need to Know:

• Following a successful ballot initiative in November 2024 known as Proposition A, the Missouri Earned Paid Sick Time Law went into effect as scheduled on May 1, 2025. However, the law has come under fire on multiple fronts in recent weeks, and suffered what looks like a decisive blow last night from the Missouri legislature.
• Late last month, the Earned Paid Sick Time Law survived a challenge through the Missouri court system when on April 29, 2025 the Missouri Supreme Court issued a ruling rejecting business groups’ challenges to the law. Despite the Supreme Court ruling, uncertainty remained in the form of a pending bill – House Bill 567 (“HB 567” or the “Bill”) – that sought to repeal the law.
• Last night, May 14, 2025, the Missouri Senate voted and approved HB 567. This follows the Missouri House of Representatives passage of HB 567 on March 13, 2025. Assuming the Bill is signed by Governor Mike Kehoe, which is expected, the Missouri Earned Sick Time Act will be repealed, effective August 28, 2025.
• While there has been some uncertainty surrounding when the repeal will go into effect, the law will be repealed effective August 28. This is based on the fact that the “Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed” version of the Bill lacks an emergency clause. There was a possibility that the Bill would be passed with an emergency clause, which would have made the repeal effective immediately upon enactment. However, no such clause exists in the “Truly Agreed to and Finally Passed” version. This means that the Missouri Earned Paid Sick Time Law will remain in effect until August 28.
• Missouri was joined by Alaska and Nebraska in passing a statewide paid sick leave law via ballot initiative in November 2024. Those laws are currently set to go into effect later this year—(a) Alaska – effective July 1, 2025; (b) Nebraska – effective October 1, 2025. That said, given the newly clarified fate of the Missouri paid sick time ballot initiative – i.e., repealed – it remains to be seen what challenges may await the Alaska and Nebraska laws in the coming weeks as their respective effective dates approach. See our prior alert for more information on the Missouri, Alaska and Nebraska laws.

Next Steps: The Missouri Earned Paid Sick Time Law began on May 1, 2025. The law also imposed notice and posting requirements on employers that had an April 15, 2025 effective date for current Missouri employees. Given the turbulence and legal and practical considerations at play, here are some next steps for employers to consider:

• Stay current on the “go live” date for the repeal of the Missouri Earned Paid Sick Time Law. As noted above, all signs point to the repeal becoming effective on August 28, 2025. Assuming this is the date the law’s repeal goes into effect, employers should maintain their compliance with the law until then.
• Coordinate with all relevant internal departments and teams (i.e., Legal, Human Resources, Payroll, Employee Relations, etc.), as well as outside counsel where appropriate, to develop a harmonized plan for how to address the change in the status of the law from both a legal and practical perspective. Some steps could include potential policy updates, system changes, communications to employees, etc.
• Prepare talking points for supervisory and managerial employees, as well as HR, on the changes to the Missouri Earned Paid Sick Time Law.
• Monitor the Missouri DOL website for the release of additional administrative guidance.
• Monitor for potential future challenges to the legality of the Missouri legislature’s repeal of the Earned Paid Sick Time Law.

With the paid leave landscape continuing to expand and grow in complexity, companies should reach out to their favorite Seyfarth attorney for solutions and recommendations on addressing compliance with nationwide paid leave requirements. To stay up-to-date on paid leave developments in Missouri and beyond, click here to sign up for Seyfarth’s Paid Sick Leave mailing list. Companies interested in Seyfarth’s paid sick leave laws survey should reach out to paidleave@seyfarth.com.