Wage-and-hour ground rules for hotel and hospitality employers in Missouri — minimum wage, tipped-employee rules, overtime, breaks, premium pay, and the hotel-specific obligations that apply on top. Figures below were last reviewed on June 12, 2026; most rates adjust annually.
Verified as of June 12, 2026 — every figure on this page was checked against the official sources listed at the bottom on that date. How we verify →
Minimum wage#
The Missouri minimum wage is $15.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2026. Proposition A (Nov. 2024) raised the rate to $13.75 (2025) and $15.00 (1/1/2026). HB 567 (signed 7/10/2025, effective 8/28/2025) KEPT the $15.00 step but repealed Prop A's CPI indexing that would have begun 1/1/2027 — and fully repealed Prop A's earned paid sick time mandate. The Missouri Supreme Court had earlier upheld Prop A against procedural challenge. Retail/service businesses with gross annual sales under $500,000 are exempt from the state law.
Preemption Missouri preempts local minimum wage ordinances — cities and counties cannot set their own general wage floors.
Tipped employees & tip pooling#
Missouri allows a tip credit: employers may pay tipped employees a cash wage of $7.50 and claim up to $7.50 per hour in tips toward the minimum wage. Tipped employees must be paid at least 50% of the minimum wage in cash ($7.50 for 2026); cash wage plus tips must reach the full $15.00 or the employer makes up the difference. Mo. Rev. Stat. 290.512 fixes the tipped cash wage at half the minimum wage, so it rose automatically with Prop A.
Tip pooling#
No Missouri-specific pooling statute; federal FLSA rules apply (no employer/manager retention; traditional pools when tip credit taken). (29 U.S.C. 203(m))
See the federal baseline rules in our tip credit and tip pooling briefs — the stricter of federal or Missouri law controls.
Overtime#
Overtime is due after 40 hours in a workweek. 40-hour weekly standard (Mo. Rev. Stat. 290.505); no daily overtime.
Run the math — including the tipped-overtime trap — with the tipped overtime calculator.
Meal & rest breaks#
Meal breaks: Not required by Missouri law for adult employees. Federal law requires only that breaks under 20 minutes, if offered, be paid.
Rest breaks: Not required by Missouri law.
Scheduling & premium pay#
- Reporting-time pay: None required by state law.
- Split-shift premium: None.
- Spread of hours: None.
Service charges & gratuities#
Missouri has no service-charge-specific statute — the federal tip/service-charge line (and IRS treatment) controls. Background: service charges, auto-gratuities & resort fees.
Pay administration#
- Pay frequency: At least semimonthly for corporations/manufacturing (Mo. Rev. Stat. 290.080); executive/administrative/professional and commission employees may be paid monthly.
- Wage statements: No comprehensive itemized-statement mandate; 290.080 requires statement of deductions at least monthly. (Mo. Rev. Stat. 290.080)
- Exempt salary floor: $684.00/week (federal)
- Lodging credit: Goods/services (board, lodging) may offset minimum wage consistent with federal reasonable-cost standards.
Local minimum wages are preempted (Mo. Rev. Stat. 67.1571/285.055, enacted 2017, nullified the St. Louis $10/$11 ordinance and blocked Kansas City's). Hotels saw a steep two-step increase in 2025-26 under Prop A; with indexing repealed, the rate stays $15.00 unless the legislature or a new initiative acts. The Prop A paid sick leave mandate was in effect only May 1-Aug. 27, 2025 before HB 567's repeal.