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Final Paycheck Laws in Missouri

In Missouri, a discharged employee's unpaid wages are due on the day of discharge, and vacation pay is not required unless an employer contract provides it.

Last checked . General information, not legal advice.

Missouri at a glance

Deadline if fired
Same day as discharge
If unpaid, the employee can ask in writing; if payment does not arrive within 7 days, wages continue as a penalty for up to 60 days. Some commission employees whose pay needs an audit are excluded.
Accrued vacation paid out
Only if a contract provides it
The state labor department says vacation pay is a discretionary benefit unless established by agreement.

Sources

Last checked

The rules in Missouri

When is a final paycheck due in Missouri if the employee is fired or laid off?

Deadline if fired in Missouri: Same day as discharge. If unpaid, the employee can ask in writing; if payment does not arrive within 7 days, wages continue as a penalty for up to 60 days. Some commission employees whose pay needs an audit are excluded.

Does Missouri law require employers to pay out accrued vacation when a job ends?

Only if a contract provides it. Accrued vacation paid out in Missouri: only if a contract provides it. The state labor department says vacation pay is a discretionary benefit unless established by agreement.

Where do the Missouri final paycheck laws come from?

The rules above come from Mo. Rev. Stat. 290.110. Each source is linked on this page. We last checked them in October 2026.

What this means in practice

Note the exact last day of work and how the job ended, since the deadline often runs from that date and may differ for a firing, a layoff or a resignation. Some statutes also change the deadline when an employee quits without giving notice.

Read the employer's written vacation or paid time off policy and any employment contract. Where state law leaves vacation payout to the employer, the policy terms usually decide whether unused time is paid out or forfeited.

If a final paycheck is late or short, the state labor department usually accepts wage claims, often without a lawyer. Some statutes add penalties for late payment, such as extra daily wages, so keep pay stubs, timesheets and any written communication about the final pay.

General information, not legal advice. Laws change, and cities can add their own rules, so check the current statute before you rely on it.