Missouri Employment Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Missouri employment attorneys who handle MHRA discrimination, wage, retaliation, and wrongful-termination claims for workers across St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, Columbia, and Independence.

Free to use — no fee unless you win
Matched with a Missouri attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Missouri employment case review

A Missouri attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Missouri employment case

When you submit a Missouri employment matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A employment matter needs someone who handles employment work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Missouri law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Missouri who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with an employment claim in Missouri

Day 0
Something happens at work.
A firing, demotion, missed pay, harassment, retaliation. Write down dates, names and what was said, and save emails and pay stubs before access disappears.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Missouri employment attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Your attorney builds the record.
Personnel file, pay records, texts, witness accounts, the handbook. Employers keep meticulous files; you need one too.
Months 1–3
Demand, or an agency charge.
Many Missouri employment claims start with a demand letter or a charge with the state agency or the EEOC. Your attorney picks the route that protects your deadlines.
Within 180 days
Suit is filed if it has to be.
Missouri gives 180 days for this step. Missing it can end the claim before it starts.
Resolution
Settlement or judgment.
You pay nothing along the way. The fee — typically 33% — comes only out of what’s recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing.

State Anti-Discrimination Statute: MHRA
Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA), Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.010 et seq. Protected: race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age 40-70, disability. Sexual orientation and gender identity covered federally (Bostock).
Deadline to File Charge: 180 days
180 days to file with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075. Work-share with EEOC. 90 days from right-to-sue to file in court.
At-Will Doctrine: At-will state
At-will state with public-policy exception (Fleshner v. Pepose Vision Institute, 2010). Statutory protections for workers' comp retaliation (§ 287.780), whistleblowing (§ 105.055 public sector), jury duty, military service.
Non-Compete Enforceability: Reasonableness test
Reasonableness test on time, geography, scope, protectable interest. Missouri courts permit blue-pencil reformation. Adequate consideration required.
Minimum Wage & Overtime: $12.30
Missouri minimum wage $12.30/hour (2024) under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.502 (Proposition B). Overtime under federal FLSA — 1.5x after 40 hours weekly. Missouri Wage Statute (§ 290.527) provides additional remedies for unpaid wages.
Typical attorney fee: 33%
33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win

The Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA, Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.010 et seq.) prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age (40-70), and disability at employers with 6+ employees. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not statutorily protected at state level but covered federally under Title VII per Bostock. Charges are filed with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) within 180 days. 2017 amendments (SB 43) significantly tightened the MHRA — narrowed the causation standard to require that the protected class was the 'motivating factor' (rather than 'contributing factor'), capped damages, and limited individual liability. Missouri is at-will with a public-policy exception (Fleshner v. Pepose Vision Institute). Non-competes are evaluated under a reasonableness test; Missouri courts permit blue-pencil reformation. Missouri minimum wage is $12.30/hour (2024) under Proposition B; overtime under federal FLSA. Missouri has no state paid sick or family leave.

Exhibit B

When to call an employment attorney in Missouri

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Employment cases we take in Missouri

Which one is closest to yours?

Race and national-origin discrimination

MHRA and Title VII. St. Louis and Kansas City corporate, healthcare, and manufacturing workforces generate ongoing claims.

Sound like yours? A Missouri attorney reviews it free — no fee unless they win.

Start my free review

Exhibit D

How much do Missouri employment attorneys cost?

Sample settlement statement

Missouri · Employment

Recovery$100,000

Attorney fee · 33%− $33,000

Case costs (advanced by firm)repaid at the end

To you$67,000

Due today$0

Try a different recovery$100,000

$5,000$3,000,000

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Most Missouri employment attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.

Missouri employment attorneys work on contingency or hybrid arrangements — typically 33%–40% of recovery. MHRA, Missouri Wage Statute, and federal employment statutes shift attorney fees to the employer when the worker prevails.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Missouri employment compensation can include

A Missouri employment recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Back Pay

Lost wages and benefits from termination to judgment under MHRA and federal law. Uncapped.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Missouri employment questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Missouri attorney will review it for free.

Start free review

File with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights (MCHR) within 180 days of the discriminatory act under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075. MCHR has a work-share with the EEOC. After investigation or right-to-sue, you have 90 days to file in court.

Senate Bill 43 (effective August 28, 2017) made several major changes: tightened the causation standard to "motivating factor" (from "contributing factor"), eliminated most individual liability for managers, imposed damage caps based on employer size, and added a business-judgment defense. These changes generally made MHRA claims harder to win and lower-value.

MHRA covers race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age (40-70), and disability. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not statutorily protected at state level but Title VII covers both per Bostock. Some Missouri cities (St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia) have local fairness ordinances.

Yes, if reasonable in time, geography, and scope and tied to a legitimate protectable interest. Missouri courts permit blue-pencil reformation. Adequate consideration is required (continued at-will employment may suffice).

Missouri's minimum wage is $12.30/hour as of January 2024, under Proposition B (passed in 2018). Tipped employees may receive 50% of the minimum wage if tips bring the total to the full minimum.

No. Mo. Rev. Stat. § 287.780 prohibits retaliation for filing workers' comp claims. Damages include reinstatement and damages.

Not without legal review. MHRA (post-2017) caps damages but claims still valuable. Federal Title VII / ADA / ADEA / FLSA / FMLA remain available. ADEA releases (40+) require 21 days to consider and 7-day revocation.

Employment attorneys by city in Missouri

Same Missouri rules and the same attorneys — with what’s local to each city.

Other case types in Missouri

All Missouri practice areas →

Animal Incident attorneysMissouri holds dog owners strictly liable — the owner pays for an unprovoked bite even if it’s the dog’s first offense.

Business Dispute attorneysMissouri enforces reasonable non-competes — and the state Supreme Court has set out the modern reasonableness test.

Car Accident attorneysMissouri is a fault state with pure comparative negligence — and a generous five-year filing deadline gives plaintiffs more breathing room than most states.

Consumer Protection attorneysThe Missouri Merchandising Practices Act lets consumers recover actual and punitive damages plus attorney fees for deceptive practices.

Criminal Defense attorneysMissouri’s expansive Castle Doctrine and "Stand Your Ground" rules plus structured sentencing make plea positioning critical.

Defective Product attorneysMissouri recognizes strict products liability — and pure comparative fault applies, so plaintiffs can recover even on contested designs.

Family Law attorneysMissouri is an equitable-distribution state — and a five-factor test governs property division, with marital misconduct relevant.

Immigration attorneysMissouri has immigration court in Kansas City — and the Eighth Circuit federal appeals court shapes much of asylum and removal practice.

Lemon Law attorneysMissouri’s new-vehicle lemon law covers new vehicles within 12 months — and the federal warranty law is often a necessary backup.

Medical Malpractice attorneysMissouri caps med-mal non-economic damages — currently $400K for non-catastrophic injuries and $700K+ for catastrophic ones, adjusted annually.

Personal Injury attorneysA five-year filing deadline is one of the longest in the country — and pure comparative fault makes Missouri plaintiff-friendly on doctrine.

Slip and Fall attorneysMissouri premises liability turns on notice and reasonableness — pure comparative fault means even partially negligent plaintiffs can recover.

Social Security Disability attorneysMissouri disability hearing offices in St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield process moderate volumes — Eighth Circuit federal precedent shapes review.

Workers’ Compensation attorneysMissouri workers’ comp runs through the state Division of Workers’ Compensation — and a Second Injury Fund covers pre-existing disability claims.

Missouri Employment Attorneys

How we match your Missouri employment case

Case type

Size and complexity

Jurisdiction and licensing

Capacity and fit

What happens with an employment claim in Missouri

Something happens at work.

Tell us what happened.

Your attorney builds the record.

Demand, or an agency charge.

Suit is filed if it has to be.

Settlement or judgment.

When to call an employment attorney in Missouri

Employment cases we take in Missouri

Race and national-origin discrimination

Sex, pregnancy, and LGBTQ+ discrimination

Age discrimination (40-70)

Disability discrimination and accommodation

Religious discrimination and accommodation

Retaliation and whistleblower

Wage and hour (Missouri + FLSA)

Independent-contractor misclassification

FMLA leave issues

Wrongful termination (public-policy)

Hostile work environment

Non-compete defense

How much do Missouri employment attorneys cost?

What your Missouri employment compensation can include

Back Pay

Front Pay

Compensatory Damages

Punitive Damages

Liquidated Damages

Attorney Fees and Costs

Missouri employment questions, answered

Employment attorneys by city in Missouri

Other case types in Missouri

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