The deadline, and what it depends on
When your employer ends the job, the deadline depends only on your last day. When you end it, it depends on how much notice you gave.
Missouri law sets no deadline for workers who quit; if wages are not paid by the next regular payday, they can be collected in court. The discharge rule does not cover commission workers whose pay requires an audit. Sales representatives are owed commissions within 30 days after their contract ends.
If you were fired vs if you quit
- Fired or laid off: Immediately — final wages are due on your last day.
- You quit: Missouri law sets no deadline for final pay when you quit. If your wages are not paid by your next regular payday, they can be collected in court.
Unused PTO — is it owed?
Only if your employer's written policy or agreement promises it. Missouri does not require vacation, holiday or severance pay. They are owed at separation only where a contract or employer policy promises them. Check your handbook, offer letter or any PTO policy you signed; if it says accrued time is paid out, that promise is enforceable.
What happens if they are late
If you were discharged and asked in writing for your pay, and it does not reach you within 7 days, your wages continue from the date of discharge until paid, for up to 60 days (RSMo 290.110).
How to file a claim in Missouri
Missouri's Department of Labor cannot collect final wages for you. Send the employer a certified-mail request, then sue — small claims court handles amounts under $5,000. Court filing fees apply; small claims court is the simplest route for smaller amounts.
- Ask in writing first. Email creates a dated record.
- Send a short demand letter naming the amount, the deadline, and any penalty that applies in Missouri.
- File the wage claim. Keep copies of pay stubs and your schedule — the time card calculator can total the unpaid hours for you.
Missouri final paycheck: common questions
Can they hold my last check until I return my equipment?
No. In Missouri your final wages are due by the deadline on this page whether or not you have returned a laptop, uniform or keys. Your employer can ask for the equipment back or pursue its cost separately, but federal law bars deductions for it that would cut your pay below minimum wage or eat into overtime.
Do I get paid for unused vacation?
Only if your employer's written policy or agreement promises it. Missouri does not require vacation, holiday or severance pay. They are owed at separation only where a contract or employer policy promises them. Check your handbook, offer letter or any PTO policy you signed; if it says accrued time is paid out, that promise is enforceable.
What if I quit without notice?
No. Missouri law sets no deadline for final pay when you quit, with or without notice, so skipping notice does not forfeit wages you earned. If your wages are not paid by your next regular payday, the Missouri Department of Labor says you can collect them through a lawsuit, starting with a certified-mail request to the employer.
When is my final paycheck due in Missouri if I am fired?
Immediately — final wages are due on your last day. Everything you earned is due on that deadline, along with any unused vacation your state or your policy makes payable. If it arrives late, the section on penalties above explains what follows.
What happens if my final paycheck is late in Missouri?
If you were discharged and asked in writing for your pay, and it does not reach you within 7 days, your wages continue from the date of discharge until paid, for up to 60 days (RSMo 290.110). Missouri's Department of Labor cannot collect final wages for you. Send the employer a certified-mail request, then sue — small claims court handles amounts under $5,000.
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Three other states also require payment the day you are let go: California, Hawaii and Montana.
Worked across a state line? Illinois final paycheck law, Kansas final paycheck law and Oklahoma final paycheck law.