Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe signed House Bill 2593 into law on July 9, 2026, significantly expanding employment protections for National Guard members across the state.
The legislation extends protections under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, known as USERRA, to members of the Missouri National Guard and Missouri-based employees who belong to another state’s National Guard.
Under the new law, those service members are granted the same reemployment rights that USERRA has long provided to members of the traditional armed forces and other uniformed services.
HB 2593 also extends the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act protections to Missouri National Guard members called to active state duty by the governor or adjutant general for more than thirty consecutive days.
The same SCRA protections apply to Missouri employees who are members of another state’s National Guard and are called to active state duty by that state’s governor or adjutant general for more than thirty consecutive days.
A notable change under the law increases the paid military leave entitlement for National Guard members who work in the public sector, raising the annual cap significantly from its previous level.
National Guard members who are public employees may now take up to 160 hours per federal fiscal year of paid military leave, up from the previous limit of 120 hours.
Crucially, this paid leave may be taken without any loss of regular time, pay, standard leave entitlements, or efficiency ratings, providing meaningful financial security for those serving their state.
The law is set to take effect on August 28, 2026, giving Missouri employers a narrow window to review their existing military leave policies and reemployment practices ahead of the deadline.
Legal experts at Ogletree Deakins have noted that now is an appropriate moment for Missouri employers to assess compliance with both state and federal military leave obligations in light of the new legislation.
Training managers and human resource officers on the requirements of USERRA and HB 2593 is one recommended step employers can take to reduce their legal exposure under the updated framework.
The Ogletree Deakins Military Workforce Practice Group has said it will continue monitoring developments and will publish updates across its Leaves of Absence, Military Workforce, and Missouri blogs as further information becomes available.