New MO law requires leave, accommodations for domestic, sexual violence victims

Missouri’s new Victims Economic Safety and Security Act (VESSA) requires employers with at least 20 employees to provide leave and reasonable safety accommodations to those who experience domestic or sexual violence. Effective August 28, 2021, the statute also includes notice obligations employers must satisfy. Missouri joins 34 other states that have enacted similar protections for employees in recent years.

Leave requirements

Unpaid leave. The amount of VESSA leave available to eligible employees will depend on the employer’s size, and all required leave can be unpaid. Employers with one to 19 employees are exempt from the law. Employers with 20 to 49 employees must provide one week of leave per year, and employers with 50 and more employees must provide two weeks per year.

VESSA leave, however, isn’t available if it would result in an employee taking more time off than the amount of unpaid leave allowed under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Much like FMLA leave, VESSA leave can be taken intermittently or on a reduced-work schedule. You must maintain health coverage for an employee taking the leave.