Labor & Employment

in committee · Missouri · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 1745: Modifies the minimum wage and overtime administrative complaint process, establishing additional requirements for employees filing certain employment complaints

HB 1745 requires employees to file a complaint with the state labor department before suing employers for minimum wage or overtime violations, effective January 1, 2027. Employees must submit pay stubs, time sheets, and all relevant pay periods as evidence within the complaint. The department must investigate within 90 days, issue findings, and may facilitate settlement offers between parties before a "right to sue" notice is issued. This process directly affects employees seeking unpaid wages and employers facing wage law violations, mandating administrative review before court action.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRequires administrative complaint filing with evidence before lawsuits for wage claims, adding barriers that restrict worker access to courts for unpaid wages.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 2198: Modifies provisions relating to lump sum payment options for certain public employee retirement benefit plans

HB 2198 modifies retirement benefit rules for certain Missouri public employees hired on or after January 1, 2011. It increases the minimum required credited service for retirement eligibility from five to ten years and establishes new age/service combinations for normal retirement (e.g., age 67 with 10 years or age 55 with combined age/service of 90). The bill requires employees to contribute 4% of pay, but the state employer pays this amount instead of the employee, with contributions tracked separately in individual accounts. It also adds specific rules for refunds of contributions (requiring spouse consent for married members) and prohibits refunds for members eligible for normal retirement. These changes apply to the "Year 2000 Plan" retirement system.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentIncreases retirement eligibility from 5 to 10 years of service, restricting early access to benefits for public employees.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees Retirement Benefits

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in committee · Missouri · House Mar 5, 2026

HB 1833: Creates provisions relating to an option to opt out of coverage under the Missouri consolidated health care plan and receive an annual stipend instead

HB 1833 allows active Missouri state employees eligible for the consolidated health care plan to opt out of state coverage and receive an annual stipend instead. Employees must provide proof of separate health insurance coverage and make the election within 31 days of hire or during designated open enrollment periods. The stipend equals 50% of the state’s contribution toward the employee’s health coverage (not including dependents), is taxable, and applies only to medical coverage (not dental/vision). This policy change directly affects state employees enrolled in the health plan who choose this alternative.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill reduces state spending on employee health benefits by replacing coverage with a lower-cost stipend (50% of state's contribution), promoting fiscal responsibility in budget management.90% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill reduces state healthcare funding by allowing employees to opt out for a stipend (50% of state contribution), shifting responsibility to individuals and weakening state-provided coverage.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill replaces state-provided health coverage with a lower-value stipend (50% of state contribution), reducing employee benefits and shifting cost burden to workers.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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in committee · Missouri · Senate Jan 15, 2026

SB 1035: Creates a county option to enact "right-to-work" laws

SB 1035 allows Missouri counties to adopt "right-to-work" laws through voter approval. If a county's governing body passes an ordinance, voters must approve it in a public election before the law takes effect. The bill prohibits employers from requiring employees to join a labor union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. It applies only in counties where voters approve the measure, with specific ballot language requiring a majority "yes" vote for adoption or repeal. This directly affects employees and employers in participating counties by removing mandatory union membership or fees.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRestricts collective bargaining by prohibiting mandatory union dues/membership, weakening union power under right-to-work framework95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

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in committee · Missouri · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 865: Modifies provisions relating to workers' compensation

SB 865 revises Missouri's workers' compensation law to narrow eligibility for benefits. It redefines "employee" to exclude certain business owners, religious organization volunteers, and minors working illegally, while requiring work to be a "substantial factor" in causing injury - excluding cases where work was merely a "triggering factor." The bill explicitly excludes most cardiovascular diseases, commute injuries, and non-specific occupational illnesses from coverage, listing only 9 toxic exposure diseases (like mesothelioma) as compensable. These changes aim to restrict claims by tightening definitions of work-related injuries and disabilities under the law.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill narrows workers' compensation eligibility, restricts injury definitions, and limits healthcare benefits for employees, reducing access to medical care.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill narrows workers' comp eligibility by excluding business owners, volunteers, minors, commute injuries, and most illnesses, requiring 'substantial factor' standard to limit benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation Workplace Safety

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 2554: Modifies provisions relating to exemptions from minimum wage

HB 2554 raises the annual sales threshold for small businesses to qualify for minimum wage exemptions from $500,000 to $11.1 million, effective 2028. It requires this threshold to be adjusted annually based on inflation using the Consumer Price Index, with updates published each October. This directly affects small retail or service businesses that would otherwise be required to pay minimum wage to their employees. The change modifies existing exemptions but does not alter other categories of exempt workers listed in the bill.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRaises minimum wage exemption threshold from $500k to $11.1M, reducing coverage for small business employees and weakening wage protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage Tags Small Business

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passed both · Missouri · House May 5, 2026

HB 1644: Creates new provisions relating to joint employers

HB 1644 clarifies employer responsibility in franchise relationships by stating that a franchisor (the company granting the franchise) is not considered an employer of a franchisee's (the individual running the franchise location) employees, unless the franchisor directly controls hiring, firing, discipline, or daily work direction. This bill specifically prevents franchisors from being held responsible for employment matters like wages or working conditions for franchisee employees, unless they exercise direct control over those specific actions. The law applies to all franchise operations covered under the U.S. Department of Labor's franchising rules (16 CFR 436.1) and directly affects franchisees, their employees, and franchisors by defining clear boundaries for employer liability. It creates a straightforward rule to avoid confusion over who is legally responsible for employee treatment in the franchise model.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentPrevents franchisors from being liable for franchisee employees' wages/work conditions, weakening worker protections by limiting accountability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 2284: Prohibits fire protection district boards from enacting ordinances that subject agriculture buildings to certain fire safety requirements

HB 2284 prohibits fire protection districts and counties from requiring fire sprinkler systems or imposing fire safety regulations on agricultural buildings used for livestock or animal farming, such as barns and stables. The bill explicitly blocks ordinances that would mandate permits, inspections, or specific fire safety measures for these farm structures. This directly affects farmers and ranchers operating livestock facilities by removing a potential regulatory requirement. The law replaces an existing statute to ensure agricultural buildings are exempt from fire safety rules that would otherwise apply to non-farm properties.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRemoves fire safety requirements for agricultural buildings where workers may be present, weakening workplace safety regulations.80% confidence

Tags Agriculture

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in committee · Missouri · Senate Apr 15, 2026

SB 1053: Removes availability of attorney fees under the Missouri Human Rights Act when a public employer is involved

SB 1053 removes the option for individuals to recover attorney fees when they win discrimination cases against public employers under Missouri's Human Rights Act. This means that if someone sues a government agency, school district, or other public entity for discrimination and wins, they will not be awarded legal costs. The bill specifically targets cases involving public employers, which include state and local government entities covered by the Act. This change modifies the available remedies for plaintiffs without altering the core anti-discrimination protections.

Topics ✗ HousingOpposes HousingRemoves attorney fees for winning discrimination cases against public employers, weakening tenant protections in housing discrimination claims under Missouri Human Rights Act.85% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRemoves attorney fee recovery for workers winning discrimination cases against public employers, weakening legal recourse and access to justice under employment rights protections.95% confidence

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in committee · Missouri · House May 15, 2026

HB 1709: Modifies provisions related to workers' compensation administrative law judges

HB 1709 updates Missouri's workers' compensation rules for permanent total disability claims. It establishes specific weekly payment formulas based on injury dates (1983-2038), capping benefits at 70-105% of the state average weekly wage. The bill clarifies that death benefits for permanent disability terminate with the employee, with no payments to dependents or estates. For toxic exposure claims (including mesothelioma), it creates tiered benefits: 200% of average wages for 100 weeks (non-mesothelioma) and 300% for 212 weeks (mesothelioma), with employer election options for liability.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentCaps workers' compensation benefits at 70-105% of avg wage and terminates death benefits for dependents, reducing worker compensation.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation Workplace Safety

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