Missouri sits at the center of the US — a logistics and financial services hub with St. Louis anchoring defense and aerospace (Boeing) and Kansas City driving tech, financial services, and a booming startup scene. The state's declining income tax and business-friendly environment make it increasingly attractive for employers. But Missouri's 7-day final pay rule and workers' comp threshold are easy to miss. WorkGenius becomes your legal employer and manages every Missouri obligation from day one.
Missouri's wage payment statute (RSMo §290.110) creates a final pay rule that catches employers who assume they can use the next regular payday. Final wages must be paid within 7 days of the date of termination OR on the next regular payday — whichever of the two dates comes first. If your next payroll runs in 3 days, the 3-day payday wins. If your payroll runs in 10 days, the 7-day window kicks in and requires an off-cycle payment. The "whichever comes first" language makes Missouri's rule stricter than it appears at first read. Failure to comply exposes the employer to a penalty of up to 30 days of wages, plus the employee's attorney's fees in any successful wage claim.
Get AB5-Compliant TodayMissouri's accelerating final pay rule, 5-employee workers' comp threshold, and declining income tax rate require active compliance management.
WorkGenius tracks the accelerated final pay deadline for every Missouri termination. When the next payroll date is sooner than 7 days, we disburse on that date; when it's later, we issue an off-cycle payment within the 7-day window. The deadline is never missed.
Missouri requires workers' comp for employers with 5 or more employees (or 1+ in construction). WorkGenius monitors headcount and ensures coverage is active before the 5-employee threshold is crossed.
Missouri requires wages to be paid at least semimonthly. WorkGenius manages pay frequency, maintains itemized pay statements, and ensures all wage obligations are met on every pay cycle.
The MHRA covers employers with 6 or more employees and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, and age. WorkGenius ensures all employment agreements and onboarding materials reflect MHRA requirements.
Missouri SUTA contributions calculated and remitted on every payroll cycle. New employer rate is 1.0% on the first $10,500 of each employee's wages — one of the lower new employer rates in the country. WorkGenius registers, files, and remits all contributions.
ACA-compliant health coverage, 401(k), and disability insurance enrolled and administered. Offboarding includes accelerated final pay, COBRA administration, and MHRA-compliant separation documentation.
Missouri is a business-friendly state with a declining income tax rate — but its 7-day final pay rule and 5-employee workers' comp threshold catch many out-of-state employers off guard. WorkGenius handles Missouri's wage payment requirements, workers' comp enrollment, and payroll automatically on every cycle.
Missouri's employer-friendly environment includes some important wage and anti-discrimination compliance requirements.
Missouri's wage payment statute requires final pay within 7 days or on the next regular payday — whichever is earlier. The "whichever is earlier" rule accelerates the deadline when payroll falls within the 7-day window. Late final pay triggers penalties of up to 30 days' wages plus attorney's fees. Missouri also requires semimonthly pay frequency for most employees.
Missouri requires workers' comp for employers with 5 or more employees in most industries — but construction employers must have coverage with just 1 employee. The 5-employee threshold applies even to part-time workers. WorkGenius monitors headcount and ensures coverage is active before the threshold is crossed.
The MHRA covers employers with 6 or more employees and prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, and age. The 6-employee threshold is lower than federal Title VII's 15-employee minimum. The Missouri Commission on Human Rights handles administrative complaints.
Missouri's minimum wage is $12.30/hr in 2024, indexed annually to the Consumer Price Index. Unlike states with a fixed schedule, Missouri's minimum wage increases automatically each January based on inflation data. WorkGenius monitors the annual adjustment and updates payroll calculations automatically.
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Missouri requires final wages to be paid either within 7 days of termination OR on the next regular payday — whichever date comes first. This creates a trap for employers running biweekly or semimonthly payroll. If you terminate an employee on a Monday and your next payroll runs that Friday (4 days away), you must pay on Friday — you cannot wait the full 7 days. Conversely, if your next payroll runs 10 days after termination, the 7-day window kicks in and you must issue an off-cycle payment. WorkGenius calculates the accelerated deadline for every Missouri termination and ensures payment is made within the required window.
Missouri requires workers' compensation coverage for employers with 5 or more employees in most industries. The construction industry has a more stringent requirement: coverage is mandatory for any employer with 1 or more employees in construction. Part-time and seasonal workers count toward the 5-employee threshold. WorkGenius monitors headcount for all Missouri employees and ensures workers' comp coverage is active before the applicable threshold is crossed.
The Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA) is Missouri's primary anti-discrimination statute. It covers employers with 6 or more employees — lower than federal Title VII's 15-employee minimum. The MHRA prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, and age. Employees can file administrative complaints with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights and, after receiving a right-to-sue letter, pursue civil litigation. The MHRA allows recovery of compensatory damages, back pay, and attorney's fees.
Missouri's top individual income tax rate is 4.8% in 2024, down from higher rates in prior years. Missouri has enacted legislation to reduce the top rate to 4.5% when state revenue triggers are met, with further reductions scheduled after that. The rate reductions are triggered by revenue thresholds rather than fixed annual dates, so the timeline is somewhat variable. WorkGenius monitors Missouri's rate changes and updates withholding automatically when adjustments take effect.
No. Missouri has no state-mandated paid sick leave or paid family leave program. Missouri has also preempted local governments from enacting paid leave ordinances that exceed state law. This makes Missouri one of the simpler states from a leave compliance standpoint. Federal FMLA unpaid leave applies for qualifying employees at employers with 50 or more employees. WorkGenius administers any voluntary PTO policy and federal FMLA as part of the employment package.
Yes, but Missouri courts apply strict scrutiny. Non-competes must be reasonable in time, geographic territory, and scope of restricted activity. Missouri courts historically apply more rigorous review than some other states and are more willing to void rather than merely modify overly broad agreements. Missouri does not have a statutory ban or income-based restriction on non-competes. WorkGenius drafts non-compete provisions that are carefully scoped to meet Missouri's reasonableness standard.
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