Missouri Sets a Strict Filing Deadline
Under the Missouri Human Rights Act, an employee must file a formal charge with the Missouri Commission on Human Rights within 180 days of the discriminatory act. This deadline is treated as strict, and Missouri courts have consistently declined to extend it for reasons like an employee’s simple unfamiliarity with the filing requirement or ongoing informal negotiations with the employer. Federal law allows a longer 300-day window for filing with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, since Missouri has a work-sharing arrangement between the two agencies.
Many employees assume they have far more time to act, especially if their employer is still investigating internally or promising a resolution. That informal process does not pause the statutory clock, and an employee who waits for an internal investigation to conclude can easily miss the 180-day window without realizing it.
A St. Louis employment discrimination lawyer treats this deadline as one of the very first issues to address with a new client. Missing this filing deadline can permanently and completely close the door on a state-law claim, regardless of how strong the underlying facts of the case are.
Why the State and Federal Deadlines Differ
The 180-day and 300-day deadlines exist because state and federal law create two separate, though related, legal protections. Filing with one agency generally cross-files the charge with the other under the work-sharing agreement, but the shorter 180-day deadline still controls whether a state-law claim under the Missouri Human Rights Act survives.
An employee who waits past 180 days, mistakenly assuming the longer federal deadline protects every claim, can lose access to certain state-law remedies and damage caps that differ from what federal law provides. In some cases, the Missouri Human Rights Act covers smaller employers that federal anti-discrimination law does not reach at all, which makes preserving the state claim especially important for employees at smaller companies.
What Happens After the Charge Is Filed
Once a charge is filed, the agency generally investigates the allegations and may attempt to resolve the dispute informally. After the charge has been pending for 180 days, an employee can request a right-to-sue notice even if the investigation is not complete, opening the door to filing a lawsuit in court.
A lawsuit based on the state-law claim generally must be filed within two years of the discriminatory act, while a federal lawsuit must typically be filed within 90 days of receiving the right-to-sue notice from the EEOC. These separate clocks mean an employee can end up juggling two different filing deadlines within the same underlying dispute, depending on which agency’s process they choose to pursue.
Evidence That Strengthens a Discrimination Claim
Discrimination cases often come down to documentation built over time, not a single dramatic incident. Useful evidence typically includes:
- Emails, texts, or written communications referencing the treatment in question
- Performance reviews, especially any inconsistent with prior evaluations
- Notes on dates, witnesses, and details of specific incidents
- Comparisons to how similarly situated coworkers were treated
- Any formal complaints made internally and the employer’s response
Gathering this evidence promptly, rather than relying on memory many months later, strengthens a case considerably.
Guidance From TGH Litigation
Employment discrimination cases move on a tight statutory clock from the very first incident. TGH Litigation reviews the full timeline and available evidence early to determine which deadlines apply and how best to preserve every available claim, including any smaller-employer coverage under state law that a federal claim alone would not reach.
What to Do if You Suspect Discrimination
Waiting to act on suspected workplace discrimination risks permanently losing your right to file a claim entirely. If you believe you have experienced discrimination at work in the St. Louis area, a St. Louis employment discrimination lawyer can look at your situation with you and make sure you know exactly where your deadlines stand before any of them slip by.