SimplyHR | Employment & Labor Blog 

This summer, Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens signed into law Senate Bill 43, which substantially changes the way the Missouri Human Rights Act (MHRA) will be administered and interpreted. The MHRA’s core purpose is to prohibit employers from basing employment decisions on a person’s race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age or disability, and it prohibits retaliation for engaging in protected activities covered under the act.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a request for information (RFI) in late July seeking comments, data, ideas and information on an appropriate salary level for exempt employees under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

Update: This post has been updated to correct a reference to the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation’s appeal. The Missouri workers represented by the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation are suing not to prevent a public vote but to ensure that the summary of the proposition that appears on the ballot in 2018 does not confuse or mislead voters.

Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens earlier this year signed into law a bill that prohibits requiring employees to join a union or pay union fees. The law was set to become effective Aug. 28, 2017. However, while the governor signed the bill, Missouri allows for a party to petition for a referendum to put the issue before voters. Mike Louis, President of the Missouri AFL-CIO, submitted a request to the Missouri Secretary of State for a referendum whereby the issue would be submitted to the voters for their approval or rejection.