So it goes for Missouri workers in the wake of a harmful special session-defeated legislative action. Lawmakers subsequently repealed a statewide paid sick leave mandate that had been overwhelmingly approved by voters. This was made possible by the repeal’s passage through the state’s Republican-led legislature. Governor Mike Kehoe then signed it into law, and after that, it will take effect August 28, 2025. This decision comes only months after the paid sick leave mandate went into effect in May of 2023. Voters overwhelmingly supported this change with 58% of votes in favor.
For Richard Eiker, a McDonald’s worker and the main caregiver for his sick, elderly mom, losing this safety net program would be a disappointment. He shared his story about the struggle like when he needed to go to work, but his mom was sick. “Whether it’s been an injury I’ve sustained at work or been an illness I’ve had, I’ve often found myself having to go into work regardless of whether I recovered fully or not,” he remarked. Eiker’s experiences are all too commonplace as our health and family responsibilities collide with our financial obligations and need to earn a living.
54-year-old fast-food worker Bill Thompson, who’s spent more than three decades working in the industry, said the same. He was recently laid off from Guitar Center. Here, for the first time, he puts in perspective just how much of an impact not having paid sick leave has on those workers. “As an older worker, I have health issues from working on my feet and with my hands for many years with no breaks for eight to 10 hours a day,” Thompson stated. Given that he has lived paycheck to paycheck for years, repeal of paid sick leave is all the more worrisome.
Yet with the climate for business shifting, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry already called the repeal its “top priority” for the 2025 legislative session. Support from Gov. He argues that it gives workers the freedom to seek positions that better suit their needs and allows businesses to offer benefits tailored to their employees. “This law promotes freedom for workers to find jobs that fit their needs and for businesses to offer the benefits that work best for them,” a spokesperson for Kehoe explained.
Repeal opposition groups, like the Laborers’ International Union of North America, say that the repeal offends worker rights and safety. Richard von Glahn, policy director at Missouri Jobs With Justice, slammed the decision. He said it was further proof of a bad trend of doubling down on the needs of working Americans. “I think they were more concerned with the idea that working people have power over our lives,” von Glahn said, emphasizing the importance of paid sick leave for maintaining health and economic stability.
The repeal’s consequences are serious for workers who don’t have the means to miss work without pay. Thompson opened up about his experience when his mother entered hospice. In the meantime, he missed work without pay and had to lean on food pantries and family support. “No one should go through this working in the richest country in the world,” he asserted.
The timing of this repeal could not be more egregious given what’s happening in states like Ohio and Michigan. Voters in Nebraska and Alaska passed paid sick leave mandates at the ballot in November 2024, by a large margin—74.5% and 57%, respectively. This contrast raises questions about Missouri’s legislative direction and its impact on worker welfare.
Eiker highlighted how this legislation has affected him personally. He couldn’t help but think about how his situation would have been different if he’d been able to take paid time off to care for his mother. “If I had been able to stay with her that day, I wonder if things could have been different,” he said somberly.
Opponents of the repeal argue that it hurts workers themselves. They view it as a threat to the broader health of communities throughout Missouri. “If you’re not paid for missed days, it literally means food off your table, bills unpaid, rent unpaid,” Thompson warned. He observed that many activists in this movement right now are on the brink of homelessness themselves while still fighting for the rights of workers.