A Missouri employment contract defines the employment terms that an employee agrees to when they are hired. The agreement will determine the employee’s status as a part-time, or full-time worker. If the employment period is “at-will,” the employee will work for their employer without a set termination date, and both parties will have the right to terminate their arrangement at any time.
Employees are required to follow their employer’s rules, instructions, and schedule, and are entitled to any employee benefits that their employer offers. If the employer hires a worker as a self-employed individual, the worker is considered an “independent contractor” and will be able to schedule and manage their own work.
Independent Contractor Agreement – Used for working arrangements between freelance workers and their clients.
Subcontractor Agreement – Allows an independent contractor to work as a subcontractor for a general contractor.
Permitted? Yes, employers are legally permitted to terminate “at-will” employees without notice or justification. However, the law protects employees from being terminated for their race, religion, national origin, sex, ancestry, age, or disability (§ 213.055). Furthermore, employees cannot be fired for reporting their employer’s unlawful activity or public policy violations (§ 285.575).
