Summary of August 2025 Labor Law Updates for Kansas City, Missouri
Welcome to your roundup of Missouri’s labor & employment law changes during August 2025, for employees, HR professionals, and compliance officers. Brought to you by HKM Employment Attorneys — keeping you up to date on what changed, what’s in flux, and what matters for workplace policies.
Missouri saw one of its biggest employment-law shifts in August 2025: the nearly four-month paid sick leave requirement (from Proposition A) is set to expire on August 28, 2025, per HB 567, which also alters how minimum wage will be adjusted in the future. Alongside that, key court decisions (e.g. discrimination verdicts) continue to shape the legal landscape.
House Bill 567 — Repeal of Earned Paid Sick Time & Changes to Future Minimum Wage Increases — Legislation
Date Effective: August 28, 2025
Summary:
Missouri voters passed Proposition A (Nov 2024), which (among other things) mandated earned paid sick time (EPST) for many employees and tied future minimum wage increases to inflation. The state Supreme Court upheld Proposition A earlier in 2025. However, in July 2025, the legislature passed House Bill 567, and Governor Mike Kehoe signed it, to repeal the paid sick time mandate (RSMo § 290.600–.642) and eliminate future cost-of-living (CPI) adjustments to the minimum wage. Because HB 567 did not include an emergency clause, it will take effect on August 28, 2025. Until that date, the paid sick time (and related obligations) under Proposition A remain in force.
Implications:
Employers must continue providing paid sick time accrual, usage, carryover, notices, and comply with other requirements under Proposition A through August 27, 2025. After August 28, they are no longer legally required to comply with the paid sick leave mandate. Employers should review and adjust policies, notices, postings, handbook rules, payroll, etc. Any existing paid sick leave or PTO policies that are more generous might still be kept. Employees are entitled to accrue and use paid sick time under Prop A until August 27, 2025. After the repeal, no legal requirement for employers to continue providing sick leave unless voluntarily adopted. The schedule increasing the minimum wage (including the jump to $15/hour in 2026) remains intact. What gets repealed are the future inflation-based adjustments (CPI increases) that were to begin in 2027.
Attorney General Office Discrimination Case — Court Decision
Title: Attorney General Andrew Bailey Secures Complete Defense Verdict in Discrimination Lawsuit — Court Ruling
Date: August 5, 2025
Summary:
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office won a judgment in Jackson County Circuit Court in a discrimination lawsuit involving the Missouri Department of Corrections. The verdict was a complete defense verdict, meaning the court sided entirely with the defendant (Missouri Dept. of Corrections) on the discrimination claims.
Implications:
For other state agencies and employers, this decision signifies that discrimination claims (at least those with similar facts) may face steep evidentiary burdens or defenses. It may influence how state employees and others consider bringing claims, and how employers document and respond to discrimination allegations. Also, this reduces the immediate liability for the state in that case (which was potentially in the eight-figure range). It could affect state budgets, but more broadly serves as precedent (at least persuasive if not binding) in that jurisdiction.
Case: Jones v. Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission — Court of Appeals Decision
Date: August 5, 2025
Summary:
Jones et al. vs. the Missouri Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. The Missouri Court of Appeals (Western District) issued an opinion in that matter.
Implications:
Depending on what the dispute was (often such cases involve unemployment claims, labor commission issues, or administrative appeals), this could affect interpretations of how courts treat appeals from the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. Employers and employees who interact with that Commission (e.g. over unemployment benefits, labor disputes) should review the opinion to see if there are changes in how certain burdens or procedural requirements are handled.
Conclusion: Looking Back on Missouri’s Labor Law Updates from August 2025
In light of recent Missouri and Kansas court rulings on retaliation, non‑compete enforcement, wage and hour violations, and hostile work environments, having local legal counsel is essential. At HKM Employment Attorneys in Kansas City, our team of dedicated employee advocates—including John Ziegelmeyer, Ethan Crockett, Brad Thoenen, Kevin Todd, and Glenn Winfrey—has secured over $250 million for clients since 2003. We specialize in representing employees in discrimination, breach of contract, unpaid wages, retaliation, and more, always with clear communication and no‑fee‑unless‑we‑win representation. If recent case outcomes in the region resonate with your situation, contact our Kansas City office to learn how our local expertise can help defend your rights.
