Can a Missouri employer require a doctor's note? Generally yes — no Missouri or federal law prohibits it. Missouri voters approved a paid-sick-time law in 2024, but the Legislature repealed it effective August 28, 2025, so there is no statewide paid-sick-leave mandate now. Whether you need a note depends on your employer's policy.
Missouri does not currently have a statewide paid-sick-leave mandate. Voters approved Proposition A in November 2024, which created earned paid sick time beginning May 1, 2025, but the Legislature passed House Bill 567 repealing that requirement effective August 28, 2025. As of 2026, employers may offer paid sick time voluntarily but are not required to. Sick-leave and documentation rules are largely set by employer policy.
How sick leave works in Missouri
Missouri does not currently have a statewide paid-sick-leave mandate. In November 2024, voters approved Proposition A, which created earned paid sick time that began accruing for many workers on May 1, 2025. The Missouri Legislature then passed House Bill 567, signed into law in July 2025, which repealed the paid-sick-time requirement.
Because HB 567 did not contain an emergency clause, the repeal took effect August 28, 2025. According to the Missouri Department of Labor, employers may continue to offer earned paid sick time after that date if they choose, but are no longer required to do so. (Proposition A’s minimum-wage increase was handled separately from the sick-time repeal.)
For most Missouri workers in 2026, paid sick leave and any related documentation rules are therefore governed by their employer’s own policy rather than a state mandate.
When a doctor’s note can be required
No Missouri or federal law flatly forbids an employer from asking for a doctor’s note. With no statewide paid-sick-leave law in force, whether and when you need documentation is largely a matter of your employer’s attendance policy. Separate federal protections such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can still apply in qualifying situations. What counts as acceptable documentation is up to the employer’s policy.
The specifics above are summarized at a high level and are not legal advice. Missouri’s paid-sick-time law changed recently; see the linked primary source for the state’s current position, and treat anything time-sensitive as something to confirm with the Missouri Department of Labor or an employment attorney.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Does Missouri require paid sick leave in 2026?
What happened to Missouri's Proposition A paid sick leave?
Can my employer require a doctor's note in Missouri?
This is general information about Missouri rules, not legal advice. Laws change; verify current requirements with the linked primary sources or an employment attorney.