Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

The Missouri Department of Labor’s Division of Labor Standards (DLS) is seeking assistance from Missouri contractors in determining the locally prevailing wage rates paid to Missouri workers in the various construction occupations.

The Prevailing Wage Law of Missouri establishes a minimum wage rate that must be paid to workers on public works construction projects in Missouri, such as bridges, roads, and government buildings. Prevailing wage rates differ by county, and also by types of work. For more information about the Prevailing Wage Law, visit the DLS home page.

Each year, DLS gathers wage information from public and private commercial construction projects across the state from contractors, labor organizations, and public entities. This wage information is used to determine wage rates for each of the 26 different occupational titles and their subgroups for each of the 114 Missouri counties and the city of St. Louis. The wage information received is compiled for each occupational title in each county. The highest number of hours reported for a particular wage rate for an occupational title in a county becomes that county’s prevailing wage rate. Some occupational titles include bricklayer, stone mason, carpenter, communication technician, electrician, and millwright. For a complete list of occupational titles, see the Public Bodies Guidebook.

This information should be submitted by February 1, 2011, so that the Department can consider it to determine wage rates for the Annual Wage Order that will be issued in March 2011.

To submit wage information, access the Contractor’s Report of Construction Wage Rates. Instructions on how to submit wage information are located on the back of the form. Incomplete or unsigned forms will not be accepted by the DLS. Wage information can be mailed, faxed, or submitted electronically.

If you have any questions regarding the survey or any general prevailing wage questions, please do not hesitate to contact DLS at 573-751-3403 or prevailingwage@labor.mo.gov.

Starting a new business can be a challenging endeavor, and the Missouri Department of Labor recognizes this. To assist new employers, the Division of Employment Security (DES) has created a “one-stop-shop” page that will help new employers get their businesses off to the right start.

“A Quick Guide for New Employers” is a useful resource to help employers get their taxes in order. The DES operates a website in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Revenue, which makes the process of registering for multiple employer taxes more simple, because you can register with both agencies at the same time. These taxes include Unemployment Insurance Tax, Withholding Tax, Corporate Income/Franchise Tax, Sales Tax, Vendor’s Use Tax, Consumer’s Tax, and a Tire/Battery Fee.

We also offer links to the Secretary of State’s Missouri Business Portal the single point of entry for registration, filings, licenses, and permits for doing business in our state. Information about how to research, start, and register your business is provided, as well as ongoing requirements of various agencies and available resources.

Another responsibility of new employers who are liable for unemployment tax is to file a “Contribution and Wage Report” at the end of each quarter. DES encourages employers to use their simple online system USTAR.

The Department of Labor can also help employers, both new and existing, fulfill the government requirements to display certain mandatory posters in the workplace. We provide both the posters required by the state of Missouri as well as the posters required by the federal government.

These posters are all free of charge, and the Department can also mail them to employers. Please call 573-751-4091, press 9 and then press 2.

We also encourage employers to call any time they have questions. We are able and available to help, and happy to answer questions to keep employers in compliance with the law. Visit our Contact Us page to find the specific department you wish to contact.

Workers’ Compensation insurance is something required of many Missouri employers. It is also a complicated subject, and mistakes can be very costly. To ensure that you are properly covering your employees, familiarize yourself with our website.

The state of Missouri requires employers with five or more employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance. An exception to this is employers in the construction industry, who are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance if they have one or more employees.

Employers who do not have the required number of employees or have employees in the exempt categories, may still elect to carry workers’ compensation, which protect them from civil lawsuits if an employee is injured during work. A common misconception is that family members do not count towards the total of employees, but this is false. If an employer has 5 or more employees, regardless of whether or not they are family members, they must carry workers’ compensation insurance.

For more information about workers’ compensation insurance, view our website or speak to one of our knowledgeable technicians by calling 800-775-COMP (2667).