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Missouri sets its own deadline, its own penalty, and its own rule on unused vacation. Here is what the statute says, what it is worth to you, and where to file if the money never arrives.
On discharge — with or without cause — unpaid wages earned at the contract rate become due and payable on the day of the discharge (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.110). Missouri is a same-day state.
If you quit, wages are due on the next regular payday; the same-day rule in § 290.110 is written for employees who are discharged or refused further employment.
Missouri requires payout of accrued vacation only where the employer's policy or contract provides for it.
Commissions earned at the contract rate are wages under § 290.110 and are due on the same schedule as other wages at separation.
Section 290.110 is titled 'penalty for delay': wages are due the day of discharge, and a late payment exposes the employer to a court-assessed penalty and, for a wilful failure, criminal exposure. The statute does not fix a percentage you can compute yourself, so this letter demands the wages and puts the exposure on the record.
This state does not impose a separate statutory penalty for late final pay. Treat that number as leverage in the letter, not as a promise: a court or agency decides what is actually owed, and the penalty provisions usually require the employer to have acted wilfully or without good cause.
File with the Missouri Department of Labor — Division of Labor Standards, which handles wage claims administratively, usually at no cost. The alternative is small claims court, where the limit for an individual in Missouri is $5,000. Both routes go better with a dated written demand and a certified-mail receipt, because the first question either forum asks is when the employer knew.
On discharge — with or without cause — unpaid wages earned at the contract rate become due and payable on the day of the discharge (Mo. Rev. Stat. § 290.110). Missouri is a same-day state.
If you quit, wages are due on the next regular payday; the same-day rule in § 290.110 is written for employees who are discharged or refused further employment.
Missouri requires payout of accrued vacation only where the employer's policy or contract provides for it.
Two routes: file a wage claim with the Missouri Department of Labor — Division of Labor Standards (https://labor.mo.gov/dls), or sue in small claims court where an individual's claim limit is $5,000. A dated written demand sent first is what makes either route easier, because it fixes the date the employer was on notice.
Only official sources are used: the state labor agency, the statute itself, and where relevant the U.S. Department of Labor. Third-party summary sites are deliberately excluded because they disagree with each other on penalty formulas.
Reviewed 2026-11-03 · reviewed again every 90 days.
being fired · resigning · a layoff · unused PTO · unpaid commissions
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