Missouri Supreme Court Denies Challenge to Earned Sick Time Law

The Missouri Supreme Court has denied constitutional challenges to Proposition A establishing the Missouri Paid Sick Time Law.

Approved by voters on November 5, 2024, Missouri’s Proposition A requires most private-sector employers to accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked by covered employees starting May 1, 2025. The law included usage caps of 56 hours annually for employers with 15 or more employees and 40 hours for smaller employers and permits employees to use this leave for their own health needs, to care for family members, during public health emergencies, or for issues related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

For employees covered by collective bargaining agreements in effect as of November 5, 2024, the provisions of Proposition A do not apply until the agreement is renewed, extended, amended, or modified after that date.

A coalition of employer associations challenged the passage of Proposition A based on technical arguments concerning the ballot language and format.

On April 29, 2025, the Missouri Supreme Court denied these challenges, finding that the ballot language of Proposition A was not inadequate or so misleading as to invalidate the election. However, two procedural challenges were not addressed due to jurisdictional issues, leaving the possibility for future challenges.

Regardless of whether or not subsequent challenges are successful, on May 1, 2025, Missouri’s Earned Sick Time Law will go into effect and employees will begin accruing paid sick time.

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