Missouri Civil Rights Laws
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw’s team of legal writers and attorneys and in accordance with our editorial standards.
The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area.
Civil Rights and Employment Law: Overview
The term "civil rights" refers to the rights of individuals to receive equal treatment under the law. Civil rights are protected mostly at the federal level, where these rights are encoded in the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While civil rights have a broad focus, they often come into play in employment settings. For example, refusing to hire someone because of their skin color violates both federal and state civil rights laws.
While anti-discrimination laws technically fall under the civil rights category, employment law attorneys typically handle these types of claims when they involve the workplace.
Missouri Civil Rights Laws at a Glance
Missouri titles its civil rights code section "Human Rights," which covers matters relating to housing and employment. As with federal civil rights law, Missouri law prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age (40+), or disability.
According to Missouri statute, it is discriminatory to use any of these protected characteristics as a basis for hiring (or firing), compensation, promotions, benefits, or any other employment conditions. The law also prohibits retaliation against an employee who has spoken out about (or reported) violations of Missouri's human rights code.
How to File a Claim for a Missouri Civil Rights Violation
If you believe your civil rights have been violated in an employment setting, Missouri law requires you to file a formal complaint with the Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations within 180 days of the alleged incident. The agency provides a handy flowchart showing the process once a complaint is filed.
Some additional details of Missouri's civil rights laws are listed in the following table. See FindLaw's Civil Rights section to learn more.
| Code Section | Ch. 213.010, et seq. (Generally); Ch. 408.550 (Credit) |
| Agency | Generally: Commission on Human Rights; Credit: None |
| Administrative Preemption | Generally: Yes; Credit: No |
| Private Action Permitted? | Generally: Yes; Credit: Yes |
| Attorney Fees Recoverable by Plaintiff? | Yes |
| Statute of Limitations | Generally: 180 days with commission; 2 yrs. civil action; Credit: Not specified. |
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- contact a Missouri civil rights attorney or employment law attorney, or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
Research the Law
- Missouri Law
- Official State Codes - Links to the official online statutes (laws) in all 50 states and DC.