The Missouri Legislature recently passed legislature establishing minimum standards for providing paid sick leave to most employees.

The following are some of the basic requirements:

MINIMUM ACCRUAL OF PAID SICK LEAVE:

All employees must be permitted to accrue at least one hour of “earned paid sick time” for every 30 hours worked. The hours do not need to be worked consecutively, nor do 30 hours need to be worked in one week. The employer is responsible for tracking the amount of hours to which each employee is entitled.

MINIMUM HOURS OF USE PER YEAR:

For employers with fewer than 15 employees, workers are entitled to use no more than 40 hours of paid sick time per year. For employers with 15 or more employees, workers are entitled to use no more than 56 hours of paid sick time per year. An employer may permit employees to use more through their written policies if they so choose.

PAID SICK LEAVE MUST START ACCRUING ON MAY 1, 2025:

Employees will start accruing paid sick time benefits May 1, 2025.

NOTICE REQUIREMENTS:

Employers must provide written notice of the “earned paid sick time” policy must be provided to employees by April 15, 2025 on a single piece of 8.5 x 11 paper in no less than 14-point font and include the following information: (1) employees accrue paid sick time at the rate of 1 hour earned for every 30 hours worked (2) employers are prohibited from taking retaliatory action against employees who request or use paid sick leave (3) employees have a right to bring a civil action if paid sick leave is denied (4) the contact information for the Department.

ROLL-OVER OF ACCUMULATED HOURS:

Employees are entitled up to 80 hours of “earned paid sick time” rolling over to the next 12-month period. Alternatively, an employer may pay out up to 80 hours of an employee’s accrued “earned paid sick time” benefit at the end of each 12-month period and provide the employee with an amount of “earned paid sick time” that meets the requirements of the law available for the employee’s immediate use at the beginning of the subsequent year.

USE OF PAID SICK LEAVE:

An employee can use their “earned paid sick time” for the following reasons:

They or a family member have a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition.

They or a family member require medical care, a medical diagnosis, or treatment, as well as receiving preventative medical care services.

Their place of employment has been ordered closed by a public official due to a public health emergency.

They need to care for a child whose school district has been ordered closed by a public official due to a public health emergency.

They need to be absent to attend to matters relating to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

These are the minimum requirements. If a PTO policy already meets these requirements, then the employer need not change the policy – other than complying with the obligation to provide notice of the right.

If you have questions, consult the Missouri Department of Labor’s Q&A section or give our firm a call.