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Employment Attorneys in St. Louis, MO

Hospitals, breweries, offices, and warehouses across St. Louis see wrongful terminations, unpaid wages, discrimination, and retaliation. A Missouri-licensed employment attorney serving St. Louis will look at your situation at no cost.

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

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

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How we match your St. Louis employment case

When you submit a St. Louis 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.

  1. Case type

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

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

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.

Employment cases in St. Louis

More about legal help in St. Louis

Employment disputes in St. Louis involve hospital systems, manufacturers, logistics companies, universities, and the city government itself. Wrongful termination, wage and overtime violations, discrimination, and retaliation claims are common, and many must go through a state or federal agency before reaching City of St. Louis courts, with short filing deadlines. Missouri law on discrimination claims has changed in recent years, so current advice matters. DearLegal matches you with a Missouri-licensed attorney who handles employment cases in St. Louis, and the first review is free.

  • Healthcare, manufacturing, and logistics employers drive many St. Louis wage and discrimination claims.
  • Employment lawsuits arising in the city are filed in City of St. Louis courts or federal court.
  • Most St. Louis discrimination claims start with a state or federal agency complaint.

Missouri employment rules at a glance

St. Louis cases run under Missouri law. The full walkthrough — timeline, when to call, case types, and what a recovery can include — is on the Missouri page.

Read the full Missouri employment guide →
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

Exhibit D

How much do St. Louis 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
$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.

Start my free case reviewTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit F

St. Louis employment questions, answered

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

Discrimination claims usually start with Missouri’s human rights agency or the federal equal employment agency, and only later go to court. Wage claims may proceed differently. An attorney will identify the correct path and make sure your complaint is filed in time.
Agency deadlines are short, sometimes just a few months, and missing one can end the claim. Missouri and federal rules differ. Contact an attorney promptly so your complaint is timely and the facts are framed correctly from the beginning.
Missouri protects employees who report certain violations from retaliation, and healthcare workers have additional protections. If you were fired or disciplined after raising concerns, you may have a claim. An attorney can evaluate the facts and the appropriate forum.
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.

Employment attorneys by city in Missouri

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

Other case types in St. Louis

All St. Louis practice areas →