Fired or underpaid in Missouri? Wage and workplace rules

The Missouri rules, checked against the source

Minimum wage

$15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2026 (or the federal rate if higher).

Source: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.502 · checked November 6, 2026

Overtime

At least one and one-half times the regular rate for hours over forty in a workweek, subject to exemptions.

Source: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.505 · checked November 6, 2026

Temporary total disability pay

66 2/3 percent of average weekly earnings, subject to the statutory maximum (injuries on or after August 28, 1991).

Source: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 287.170 · checked November 6, 2026

Telling your employer about a work injury

Written notice to the employer no later than thirty days after the accident, unless the employer was not prejudiced.

Source: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 287.420 · checked November 6, 2026

Filing the comp claim

Generally within two years after the injury or the last payment, as the statute details.

Source: Mo. Rev. Stat. § 287.430 · checked November 6, 2026

Rules not listed here were left out because we could not check them against an official Missouri source. That does not mean no rule exists.

Write down your hours, pay stubs, schedules and the names of supervisors involved. Records made at the time carry weight.

Federal law (the Fair Labor Standards Act) sets a floor. Where a state rule below is more protective, the state rule generally matters too.

Agency complaints and lawsuits have time limits. A lawyer licensed in the state can tell you which one applies to you.