Missouri Legislature sends repeal of Earned Sick Leave law to Governor’s desk for signature

On Wednesday, Missouri lawmakers delivered a significant blow to the state’s recently enacted paid sick leave requirement by approving legislation that would repeal the sick leave provisions of Proposition A, which mandates that employers provide workers with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

The repeal bill now sits on the governor’s desk awaiting signature, with an effective date of August 28 if approved.

The legislative action came after months of contentious debate, with business interests arguing that the sick leave mandate would create unsustainable financial burdens for employers across the state. In an unusual procedural move, Senate Republicans employed the rarely-used “previous question” parliamentary tactic to force a final vote on the repeal measure — marking the first time this procedural mechanism has been utilized during a regular legislative session since 2017. Democratic lawmakers, who had reportedly been working on compromise solutions for months, were ultimately unable to preserve the voter-approved benefit.

The repeal represents a significant reversal of a major policy decision directly made by Missouri voters just six months ago. While the minimum wage increase portion of Proposition A appears to remain intact, if signed by the governor as expected, Missouri employers will no longer be required to provide the statutorily mandated paid sick leave that was approved by voters last November.

© 2025 by Andrew J. Martone and Martone Legal, L.L.C.