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Kentucky Labor Laws: A Complete Guide to Wages, Breaks, Overtime, and More (2024)

• 10 min read
• Published : November 6, 2023

Joseph Iyanu

• November 6, 2023

U.S. Labor Laws

• Tennessee Labor Laws
• Florida Labor Laws
• Kentucky Labor Laws
• Texas Labor Laws
• Connecticut Labor Laws
• Minnesota Labor Laws
• Georgia Labor Laws
• Alabama Labor Laws

Ensure Labor Law Compliance With Workyard

In Kentucky, fondly known as the Bluegrass State, the state government provides certain rules and regulations that dictate how a business can and should be run. Understanding these rules and regulations is important for navigating the intricacies of doing business while empowering employers and employees alike.

Kentucky labor laws are panoramic, cutting across the board and controlling several parts of business ranging from hiring ethics or practices to breaks, leaves, and employee pay.

Whether you are an employer looking to stay on the right side of the law while you do business or an employee looking to understand their rights, understanding lawful practices regarding labor and business in Kentucky is a must-have advantage.

This guide, a part of a 50-state series about labor laws, aims to help you achieve that, regardless of the industry you work in as part of the Kentucky workforce.

From details about wages and benefits to essential information about overtime regulations, this guide provides everything you need to know to create or enjoy a productive work environment.

Meals and Breaks in Kentucky

Kentucky employers are legally mandated to provide a meal break of at least 20 minutes to employees who work for at least 7.5 hours. This break must be provided to the employee between the 3rd and 5th hour of the workday as long as there is no mutual agreement stating otherwise. Additionally, this break can last for a reasonable length, such as 30 minutes.

Employers can choose not to compensate their workers for this break if they are fully relieved of their duties. However, all breaks that are less than 20 minutes should be paid.

Another break that is mandated is the rest break. According to Kentucky law, employees within the state must be eligible for a rest period of at least 10 minutes per every 4 hours of work.

Employees can choose to waive their breaks, but this should be written and documented.

Leave and Paid Time Off (PTO) in Kentucky

Kentucky state-specific laws also regulate the types of leaves that employees are mandated to have and those that they are not. These laws also describe in detail if compensation must be offered.

According to Kentucky labor law, employees should not suffer negative consequences upon their return to work after a required leave. This safeguards employee jobs while they get essential time off from work.

The required employee leave types include:

Kentucky employers are legally mandated to provide a meal break of at least 20 minutes to employees who work for at least 7.5 hours . This break must be provided to the employee between the 3rd and 5th hour of the workday as long as there is no mutual agreement stating otherwise. Additionally, this break can last for a reasonable length, such as 30 minutes.

Family and medical leave

This is offered to employees under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA states that all employees are eligible for 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave within one year to attend to household medical-related issues. 

These issues may include:

• Care of the employee's serious health condition
• Care of an immediate family member with a serious health condition
• Care of the employee's newly-born child
• Placement for adoption/foster care of a child with the employee
• Any difficulty due to the employee's immediate family member is a covered military member on active duty

An employee is only considered eligible for this leave if they have worked for at least a year and 1250 work hours. Additionally, this law only applies to employers with more than 50 employees.

If the employee’s sick family member is a member of the Armed Forces with a severe health condition or injury, the employee is eligible for up to 26 weeks of job-protected leave. However, this sick family member must be the employee’s spouse, parent, child, or next of kin.

Sometimes, an employee might be summoned to perform jury duty. When this happens, the employer must provide permission for the employee to be absent from work without any risk of job loss or being penalized.

Voting Leave

All Kentucky employers must provide at least 4 hours of voting time leave to all employees without penalization of the employees in question. The only exception to this rule is if the employer can prove that the employee didn’t cast their vote during this leave, in which case the employee can be penalized.

Military Leave

Kentucky employers must provide employees a leave of absence to serve in The Armed Forces, The National Guard, or The state militia. This leave is regulated by federal law.

The rule also states that upon the employee’s return, they must be provided with some pay increases and other benefits like they have been present at work the whole period.

Additionally, Kentucky has a law that offers members of the Kentucky National Guard a leave, not only for active duty but all necessary training.

Emergency Response Leave

For every employee who wants to take time off work to respond to or assist in an emergency, employers must provide an emergency response leave. This leave is offered to any employee who performs any of the following roles:

• Volunteer firefighter
• Rescue squad
• Emergency medical technician
• Law enforcement (peace officer)
• Emergency management agency employee

Employers may request proof of emergency role in the form of a letter from the supervisor or an institution where the employee performed the emergency work. However, the volunteering employee must not be penalized.

For an emergency response leave, employees can decide if the leave should be paid or not. Additionally, if an employee suffers an injury while serving at their emergency task, they are eligible for up to 12 months of leave, during which the employer cannot lay them off.

Witness Leave

If an employee is summoned as a witness in any court case, the employer is legally required to provide paid or unpaid leave. Additionally, the employer cannot punish such an employee. However, the employer may request proof that the employee was present as a witness in the court. This proof often comes in the form of a court certificate.

Adoption Leave

If any employee is in the process of adoption, the employee must provide up to 6 weeks of leave, during which the employee can settle custody and perform all necessary activities.

Kentucky Non-Required Leave

Likewise, there are several categories of leave or time off that an employer is not required by law to provide. However, the employer might choose to offer them as employee benefit. If the employer chooses to offer these leaves to employees, it is important to state all details and mutual agreement in the employee contract.

These non-required leave types include:

• Vacation leave
• Holiday leave
• Bereavement leave

Overtime Regulations in Kentucky

In Kentucky, any number of work hours that exceeds 40 hours per week counts as overtime for full-time employees who work 9-5.

When this occurs, employees are entitled to one-and-a-half times their regular wage rate. For minimum-wage employees in Kentucky, this amounts to an hourly wage of $10.875.

Kentucky state law also stipulates that if an employee works for 7 consecutive days, all hours worked on the 7th day will be treated as overtime.

Overtime Exceptions

There are some cases in which certain professionals are exempt from the overtime rule. This includes:

• Individuals working in administration, provided not more than 20% of the time is spent on activities unrelated to the position, e.g. accountants
• Individuals who are executives and who directly manage at least two employees
• Professionals with advanced skill and extensive knowledge e.g. certified teachers
• Sales representatives

Besides these government-approved exemptions, Kentucky state law exempts certain occupations from overtime pay . These occupations include:

• Agriculturists
• U.S. government employees
• People employed in domestic service in a private home
• Babysitters in the employer's home
• Companions of an elderly, sick, or convalescing person
• Newspaper delivery people
• People working in organized non-profit camps, religious, or educational centers (provided they are not open for work more than 7 months in a calendar year)
• Employees in a 24-hour residential care facility for children who are dependant, abused, or neglected
• Employees in non-profit child-caring facilities (licensed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services)
• Employees in residential care working as family caregivers to an adult with mental health or intellectual disability (certified to provide adult foster care, by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services)
• Employees in retail stores, hotels, motels, restaurants, and service industries as long as the business earns less than $95,000 for the 5 preceding years exclusive of excise taxes or the employees are members of the employer's immediate family.

Wages and Benefits in Kentucky

Like the federal regulation, Kentucky state regulations declare that any number of hours up to 40 hours every week must be compensated to employees at a rate of at least the minimum wage. In Kentucky, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour, mirroring the federal minimum wage .

Watch the video below for a quick and easy overview of details about wages and benefits in Kentucky:

Wage Type in KY

Regular minimum wage, regular tipped wage, subminimum wage.

Since the Federal wage rate and Kentucky State’s wage rates are the same, the state’s law states that a rise in the federal wage rate is directly proportional to a rise in the state’s wage rate, according to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

However, certain professions are exempt from the state-specific minimum wage rule. These professions, specifically those in the hospitality industry who typically receive tips. These employees must regularly and constantly receive gratuities as extra cash to be considered tipped employees, many of which include servers, waiters, and bartenders.

For tipped employees in Kentucky, the minimum wage is $2.13.

However, if the total base pay of $2.13 plus tips does not equal at least $7.25, Kentucky state law mandates that the employer must make up the difference. 

Additionally, Kentucky restricts the practice of tip pooling, which involves making tipped employees share their tips with non-tipped employees like chefs and dishwashers. In fact, Kentucky is one of the few states that legally restrict employers from initiating tip pooling.

Subminimum wage is paid to minors, employees with disabilities, apprentices, learners, and student workers. However, it is also set at $7.25 in Kentucky.

Pay Frequency

In Kentucky, employers must establish a payment method that follows at least a semi-monthly schedule. This means employers need to compensate employees no later than 13  days after the end of the pay period.

The employer may choose to pay using:

• Direct deposit
• Payable checks
• Payroll card account

Pay stubs are not mandated by state law, but many employers choose to provide detailed pay information for their employees’ convenience.

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Wage deductions.

Employers can make deductions from an employee’s wages under certain cases. These cases are usually authorized by local, state, or federal law. Additionally, employers can legally make deductions from wages when they have written consent from a specific employee who wants to cover insurance, hospital, or other important bills by choice of wage deductions.

Final Paycheck

When an employee is let go, employers in Kentucky are required by law to provide a final paycheck to the employee whose employment was terminated . This paycheck must include all the leftover wages and benefits.

The final paycheck must be paid at the next regularly scheduled payday or within 14 days of the separation.

Employee Benefits

Kentucky labor laws do not require employers to provide specific mandatory benefits beyond compliance with federal laws, such as Social Security, workers’ compensation, and unemployment insurance.

However, many employers in Kentucky offer a range of optional benefits to attract and retain talent. These include health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off ( sick leave and vacation ), and more.

However, the rules between required and non-required benefits sometimes overlap.

For example, if you’re a business owner with fewer than 50 workers, you aren’t required to provide health insurance benefits. However, if you employ more than 50 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs) in Kentucky, you must provide health insurance that meets minimum essential coverage (MEC). This will satisfy the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer rule.

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Prevailing Wages in Kentucky

Kentucky does not have a prevailing wage law. However, employees in Kentucky may be eligible to receive prevailing wages if they work on government-funded projects or perform specific government services. This includes projects like construction, renovation, or repair of public buildings, highways, bridges, and other infrastructure.

The objective of this wage is to maintain fair labor standards and prevent the underpayment of workers involved in these projects.

It is important to note that prevailing wages may differ from the federal minimum wage depending on the employment contract or project being worked on.

It is crucial to remain updated on the law of prevailing wages as the rates are subject to change. To find the most current prevailing wage rates in Kentucky, employers and contractors should refer to the Kentucky Labor Cabinet’s official website, or check federal websites responsible for promulgating prevailing wage rates, like SAM.gov .

These agencies update and publish prevailing wage schedules regularly, which typically include the specific wage rates and fringe benefits applicable to different job classifications and regions within the state.

Hiring Practices in Kentucky

In Kentucky, employers are legally restricted from making hiring decisions based on several factors, such as:

• Gender/gender-related identity
• National Origin
• Genetic information or family medical history
• Physical/mental disability
• Military or veteran status

This is to prevent discrimination during the hiring process. 

While discrimination isn’t legal during the hiring process, background checks are. Background checks are controlled by the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, which regulates the collection, accuracy, and distribution of information in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

However, only certain positions in Kentucky require background checks:

• School personnel such as new certified hires, student teachers, and coaches
• Public college and university personnel
• Personal services agency personnel
• Long-term care facilities personnel (as long as the facility is owned, managed, or operated by the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities)
• Childcare center personnel (provided the employee has direct contact with minors)

💡Did You Know?

Employer reporting requirements in kentucky.

Kentucky has various reporting requirements that employers must adhere to, involving reporting to different state agencies.

• Employers in Kentucky are required to report newly hired and rehired employees to the Kentucky New Hire Reporting Center within 20 days of the hire date. This information is crucial for the enforcement of child support orders.
• Employers in Kentucky must report wage and employment information to the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance. This helps determine eligibility for unemployment benefits and the amount of benefits an individual may receive.

Kentucky Recordkeeping Requirements

Recordkeeping requirements in Kentucky fall under the Fair Labour Standards Acts (FLSA) . Under this act, employers are required to:

• Keep payroll records, certificates, agreements, notices, collective bargaining agreements, employment contracts, and sales and purchase records for at least 3 years.
• Keep completed copies of each employee’s I-9 for three years after they are hired. If the employee works longer than three years, the employer is required to keep the form for at least one year after the employee leaves.
• Keep basic employment and earning records like timecards, wage-rate tables, shipping and billing records, and records of additions to or deductions from wages for at least 2 years.
• Keep the records that show why you may pay different wages to employees of different sexes, such as wage rates, job evaluations, seniority and merit systems, and collective bargaining agreements for at least two years
• Keep all employment records for at least one year from the employee’s date of termination according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
• Keep records of job-related injuries and illnesses for five years. However, some records, such as those covering toxic substance exposure, must be kept for 30 years.
• Keep files of benefit plans and seniority and merit systems while they are in effect and for at least a year after they end.
• Keep summary descriptions and annual reports of benefits plans for six years.

If the Family and Medical Leave Act covers the employing company, the employer must also keep relevant records of all leaves, notices, or policies for at least three years.

Health and Safety Standards in Kentucky

Kentucky, as with all other states, prioritizes the safety of employees at work. As such, the creation and sustenance of a safe working environment are mandated by federal and Kentucky state laws.

The law governing and overseeing employee safety is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) . OSHA highlights every role employers and employees must play in reducing or possibly eliminating the risk of accidents at work. 

Additionally, OSHA clearly states that employers are required to continually inspect for flaws and irregularities in the safety conditions and continually improve these irregularities.

In Kentucky, some safety priorities OSHA mandates include:

• Proper employee training and education upon employment
• Employers must conduct educational and advisory activities to ensure safe and healthy working conditions
• Employers must create optimal working conditions to rid the premises of risks that may cause hazards
• Employers should regularly organize safety demonstrations concerning health concerns

To facilitate the adoption of safety and health practices in workplaces , OSHA inspectors, also known as compliance safety and health officers, conduct regular inspections. These inspections may take place for several reasons, some of which include:

• Regularly scheduled inspections
• Taking notes or reporting of imminent danger
• Worker complaints
• Referrals from other agencies
• Targeted inspections that focus on specific high-hazard industries
• Reports of fatalities

The Division of Compliance in Kentucky is responsible for enforcing Occupational Safety and Health Standards in the public and private sectors. If employers and employees wish to report unsafe working conditions in the state, they can contact the division.

Additionally, the Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health Program (KyOSH) is in charge of enforcing OSHA regulations within the state. According to the KyOSH Act, every employer in Kentucky must have a written Safety, Health, and Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP) in place.

If employers or employees have concerns about their workplace, they can also contact the KyOSH. 

Child Labor Laws in Kentucky

Child labor laws in Kentucky are tailored to protect the rights and prevent the exploitation of minors (individuals under 18) in the state. These laws not only keep under-aged individuals safe, but also serve to prioritize education.

• In Kentucky, the minimum age for most employment is 14 years old
• Exceptions allow children as young as 12 to work outside of school hours
• In Kentucky, there is no requirement for a child work permit
• All minors must obtain proof of age documentation and submit it to their employer. This documentation might be in the form of a driver’s license and birth certificate, or any other government-issued document that includes their date of birth.

Child Work Limitation

The rules for hiring minors aged 14 and 15 differ from those for employing minors aged 16 and 17.

Minors aged 14 and 15 can work under the following conditions:

• Up to 3 hours per school day
• Up to 8 hours per weekend or non-school day
• Up to 18 hours per week
• Up to 40 hours per non-school week
• Prohibited from working between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.

On the other hand, minors aged 16 and 17 can work under the following conditions:

• Up to 6 hours per school day
• Up to 8 hours per non-school day
• Up to 30 hours per week
• If the work shift is scheduled before a school day, minors aged 16 and 17 are prohibited from working between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• If the shift happens before a non-school day, minors aged 16 and 17 are prohibited from working between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.

In all cases, employers must give minor employees a break of at least 30 minutes for every 5 hours of work.

Prohibited Occupations For Minors

Minors in Kentucky are prohibited from working in certain industries and specific occupations. 

These include:

• Occupations in or about plants or other establishments manufacturing or storing explosives
• Any and all coal mine occupations
• Any and all logging or sawmill operations
• Handling power-driven hoisting apparatus, including forklifts
• Any and all excavating operations
• Any and all wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations
• Occupations about and in connection with any establishment distilling, compounding, manufacturing, brewing, or bottling alcoholic beverages
• Any and all work on or about a roof

Employee Termination and Resignation in Kentucky

In Kentucky, employment relationships are generally governed by the principles of “at-will” employment, meaning that either employer or employee can terminate the employment relationship at any time, with or without cause, unless there is an employment contract stating otherwise.

It is important to know that in some cases, exceptions to the ‘at-will rule’ may arise in cases involving employment contracts, union agreements, or certain legal protections against wrongful termination

Notice Requirements

There are generally no specific notice requirements for terminating employees in Kentucky. This means employers may lay off employees or terminate employment contracts without providing advance notice, although providing notice or a reason for termination may be advisable in certain situations to avoid potential legal issues.

For employees, while not legally required, providing notice of resignation is a professional courtesy. As with many states, the standard notice period is typically two weeks, although this can vary based on the terms of the employment contract, company policy, or industry standards.

Severance Pay

There are no state-specific laws in Kentucky that require an employer to offer severance pay. Regardless, if severance pay is offered, the employing company must comply with its own established pay policy that is stated in its employment contract.

Employers in Kentucky are legally mandated to provide a final paycheck to any employee whose employment was terminated for any reason. The paycheck must include the employee’s leftover wages and benefits and is due at the next scheduled payday or within 14 days of the employee’s termination.

Right-To-Work

Other than operating under the principle of at-will employment, Kentucky also has state-specific laws that promote a “right-to-work” state, which means that employees are not required to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment. Employees have the freedom to choose whether to participate in union activities.

Unemployment Benefits in Kentucky

Employees who are out of a job through no fault of their own may be eligible for unemployment pay and benefits. Eligible Kentucky residents can receive a percentage of their previous pay as unemployment benefits, up to a maximum of $415 per week, for up to 26 weeks . Those eligible must spend time searching for a new job while on unemployment benefits.

Additionally, eligible employees may continue to enjoy previously available health benefits after exiting a job through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) . 

To be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must:

• Have earned at least a minimum amount in wages before you were unemployed
• Be unemployed through no fault of your own, as defined by Kentucky law
• Be able and available to work, and actively seeking employment
• Have earned at least $750 in one quarter of the base period
• Have earned at least $750 outside of the highest paid quarter of the base period
• Have earned at least 1.5 times your wages in the highest paid quarter of the base period, across the entire base period
• Must have wages at least eight times your weekly benefit amount in the last two quarters

If you are eligible to receive unemployment, your weekly benefit rate in Kentucky will be 1.1923% of your total wages during the base period. You will receive a maximum of $522 each week; the minimum amount is $39.

Application Process for Unemployment in Kentucky

To apply, individuals can file a claim online , in person at a local Kentucky Career Center, or over the phone.

The application process will require them to provide personal and employment information, including details about their previous employers and wages. It’s essential to apply as soon as possible after becoming unemployed, as there may be waiting periods before benefits are distributed.

Penalties for Noncompliance in Kentucky

Failing to comply with Kentucky labor laws can result in various penalties and fines. The specific penalties may vary depending on the nature of the violation:

• Any employer who who refuses employee pay shall be assessed a civil penalty of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) and shall also be liable to the affected employee for the amount withheld, plus interest at the rate of ten percent (10%) per annum
• Any violation of Kentucky's child labor laws is punishable by a fine ranging from $100 to $1,000
• Willful violation of OSHA regulations may result in a minimum penalty of \$5,000 and maximum penalty of \$70,000
• If an employer fails to provide records required on employees, KYOSH issues a citation with a gravity-based penalty of $3,500 for each form not made available
• Willful violation of child labor laws can result in a civil money penalty of up to $13,227 per minor employee. If the violation results in serious injury or death of the employee, the maximum civil penalty is $60,115.
• Employers who repeatedly break the child labor laws face a fine of up to $120,230, as well as imprisonment.

Other Essential Information About Labor Laws in Kentucky

• Employees must get reasonable and adequate bathroom breaks.
• If an employee feels an employer doesn’t comply with the regulation on reasonable bathroom breaks, the employee should contact OSHA
• It is illegal for employers to retaliate against an employee for reporting unsafe working conditions.
• Female employees who are breast-feeding require time to express their milk throughout the day
• Kentucky has "right-to-work" laws, which means that unions cannot require employees to join or financially support the union as a condition of employment.

Resources and Further Reading on Kentucky Labor Laws

Here are some resources and contact information for further reading and assistance with Kentucky labor laws:

Kentucky Labor Cabinet

The Kentucky Labor Cabinet is the primary state agency responsible for labor-related matters.

Kentucky Career Center

The Kentucky Career Center provides resources for job seekers and employers, as well as information on unemployment benefits.

Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims

Deals with questions or concerns related to workers’ compensation

Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health (KY OSH)

For workplace safety and health information

Kentucky Legislature

For the most up-to-date Kentucky labor laws and regulations

Final Thoughts on Kentucky Labor Laws

Kentucky safeguards the interest of its employers and employees in the state workforce with several labor laws. These laws are not only tailored to ensure orderliness and fairness in the workforce- they also protect the rights of every employee within the state.

Navigating the complicated web that is Kentucky labor laws is a grueling process for many employers. However, if you want to avoid hefty fines and draining lawsuits, it is important to remain compliant with the laws of Kentucky. To do this, it is important to access the right resources to keep up to date with the constantly changing rules and policies.

For many businesses, the only real solution to compliance challenges is great software. The right business management software tends to come with built-in compliance and recordkeeping rules, regardless of your industry, how many employees you have, what they do, or how widely they’re dispersed across the state (or country).

If you operate a construction or field services company, we humbly suggest trying Workyard for your compliance needs.

Workyard is built around the industry’s most accurate GPS tracking and geofencing technology , which ensures payroll accuracy across your workforce, no matter which job site you send them to or when you need them to work there. Workyard’s timesheet tracking system also comes with built-in federal and state overtime rules, as well as adjustable break rules you can customize at the employee level.

Workyard’s intuitive scheduling dashboard makes it easy to direct your workforce to the jobs you need done, based on their skill sets, their locations, their availability, and (of course) their weekly time worked – so you can avoid unnecessary overtime payments and reduce reimbursible travel expenses.

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Did you find this post helpful? Please rate it!

Nasdaq “ 6 Statistics to Better Understand the Extent of Discrimination in the Workplace ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health “ Occupational Safety and Health Act ” Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

U.S. Department of Labor “ OSHA- Commonly Used Statistics ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

U.S. Department of Labor “ Continuation of Health Coverage (COBRA) ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

Kentucky Career Center “ If You Are Unemployed ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

Kentucky Labor Cabinet “ Labor Cabinet ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

Kentucky Career Center “ Kentucky Career Center ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims “ Workers’ Claims ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

Kentucky Occupational Safety and Health “ Occupational Safety and Health ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

Kentucky Legislature “ Kentucky Labor Laws ”, Accessed November 2nd, 2023.

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Breaking down the new laws taking effect in Kentucky on July 15

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - More than 200 bills passed during the 2024 legislative session are now officially state law.

Some went into effect on July 1. The rest became statutory law on July 15.

We’re taking a look at some of the bigger and more notable measures.

A new guardians program is being implemented in the Commonwealth. It allows some veterans and former police officers to serve in schools.

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Senate Bill 2, sponsored by Senator Max Wise, also calls on districts to create trauma-informed teams to improve mental health interventions.

Under Senate Bill 20, teens who are between 15 and 18 years old that are charged with violent offenses involving a gun will now be tried as adults.

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Long-range drivers might see some relief with Senate Bill 46. Senator Greg Elkins of Winchester sponsored this legislation, which gives motorists permission to tint the entire front windshield. 70 percent of light must still be able to pass through. This will put Kentucky in line with federal safety standards and does not allow for red or yellow tinting material.

12- and 13-year-olds will be able to be employed by non-profits thanks to Senate Bill 128. The bill’s sponsor says it will help teach them life and employment skills. Organizations will need to get approval from the state and teens can’t work more than 18 hours a week.

Cursive is now a requirement in elementary schools. Senate Bill 167 states teachers must ensure that students are proficient in cursive writing by the end of fifth grade.

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in the other chamber,

House Bill 378 changes the official state rock to coal.

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Every student bus rider and at least one of their parents must now sign a transportation agreement with their school district according to House Bill 446. It would explain the consequences of misbehavior.

House Bill 30 creates a suicide prevention program for service members, veterans and their families.

More oversight for parents is coming with House Bill 174. Guardians will have access to their child’s medical records. Currently, those 13 and older must sign a waiver for their parents to have access.

Copyright 2024 WKYT. All rights reserved.

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Kentucky Labor Laws Guide

Ultimate Kentucky labor law guide: minimum wage, overtime, break, leave, hiring, termination, and miscellaneous labor laws.

Table of contents

• Kentucky Wage Laws
• Kentucky Overtime Laws
• Kentucky Break Laws
• Kentucky Leave Requirements
• Child Labor Laws In Kentucky
• Hiring Laws In Kentucky
• Termination Laws In Kentucky
• Discrimination Laws in Kentucky
• Occupational Safety In Kentucky
• Miscellaneous Kentucky Labor Laws

Kentucky wage laws

Both federal and Kentucky state regulations mandate that any number of hours up to 40 per week be compensated to employees at a rate of at least the minimum wage.

The state of Kentucky follows the federal minimum wage regulation.

If an employee works over 40 hours a week, they are entitled to a higher hourly rate. Overtime pay is regulated by the Fair Labor Standards Act .

The minimum wage requirement is different for non-tipped and tipped employees. Moreover, certain occupations are exempt from this requirement, and we'll cover all instances in the following segments.

Let's see what Kentucky employees are entitled to, in terms of fair and adequate compensation for their work.

Kentucky minimum wage

The state of Kentucky abides by the minimum wage requirement set by the federal law — $7.25 per one hour worked.

The minimum wage in Kentucky is announced to stay in compliance with the federal minimum wage rate. If the federal minimum wage requirement increases, the same will go into effect for Kentucky employees.

It is important to mention that it is illegal for employers to offer a lower hourly rate to non-exempt employees. However, there are some exemptions and exceptions to this requirement — for example, for tipped occupations.

Read the following segments to make sure you're fully aware of which employees are exempt from the minimum wage rule.

Tipped minimum wage in Kentucky

Certain professions, especially the ones in the hospitality industry, are commonly and closely associated with tipping.

The term, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) , refers to sums of money customers freely provide to tipped employees, as a recognition for their service.

Employees must regularly receive such form of gratuity (mostly in cash) in order to count as tipped employees — e.g. servers, bartenders, waiters, delivery people, etc.

Tipped employees' minimum wage in Kentucky is currently set to $2.13.

If the total of the base pay ($2.13) plus tips doesn't equal at least the amount of regular minimum wage ($7.25), the law states it's up to the employers to make up the difference.

Another practice commonly found among tipped employees is tip pooling .

The state of Kentucky is one of a few states that legally restrict employers from requiring that practice.

Tip pooling, or tip sharing, refers to all employees being obligated to share a portion of their tips in order for a part to be distributed to employees who usually don't receive tips, such as cooks, prep-cooks, and dishwashers.

The practice is not illegal in Kentucky, but employees must agree to tip sharing voluntarily.

Exceptions to the minimum wage in Kentucky

Employers can offer lower than standard hourly minimum wage to the following employees:

• White Collar employees (bona fide executives, administratives, and professionals, provided they earn at least $684 per week)
• Outside salespeople (provided they earn at least $684 per week)
• Computer employees
• Employees working in agriculture
• Employees of the US government services
• Employees working in domestic service, in or about a private homes
• Employees working as babysitters in the employer's home
• Employees working as companions to an elderly, sick, or convalescing person
• Employees working in newspaper delivery
• Employees working in organized non-profit camps, religious, or educational centers (provided they are not open for work more than 7 months in a calendar year)
• Employees working in a 24-hour residential care facility for children who are dependant, abused, or neglected
• Employees working in non-profit child-caring facilities (provided the facility is licensed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services )
• Employees working in residential care as a family caregiver to an adult with mental health or intellectual disability (provided they are certified to provide adult foster care, by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services)
• Employees working in retail stores, hotels, motels, restaurants, and service industries — provided that either of the following applies:
• The business earned less than $95,000 for the 5 preceding years exclusive of excise taxes
• The employees are members of the employer's immediate family

Subminimum wage in Kentucky

The minimum wage for employed minors (i.e. youth under the age of 18), as well as several other categories of employees, is also called the subminimum wage.

Besides minors, other categories eligible for subminimum hourly wage are:

• Employees with disabilities
• Apprentices
• Student learners
• Student workers

However, subminimum and minimum wages are the same in Kentucky, both based on the federal minimum wage at $7.25.

Kentucky payment laws

Employers must establish at least semi-monthly pay periods . In other words, employers need to provide compensation for their employees no later than 13 days after the end of the pay period.

As for the way in which employers can compensate employees, there are 4 options to choose from:

• Direct deposit
• Payable checks
• Payroll card account.

Deductions from wages in Kentucky

Employers are also required to provide an itemized statement of deductions for each pay period. It's important to mention that employers can make deductions only in certain cases.

Let's first mention the cases when employers are not allowed to withhold or deduct any wages from employees' paychecks.

Here's the full list of instances in which employers aren't legally allowed to deduct any amount from an employee's paycheck:

• Lost or stolen property
• Damage to property
• Personal fines
• Cash shortages (provided at least 2 persons used the cash box or register)
• Losses due to acceptance of a bad check
• Losses due to defective or faulty workmanship
• Default or customer credit, or nonpayment for goods or services by the customer (provided losses can't be attributed to the employee in question's intentional or willful disregard of employer's interest)

An employer is allowed to withhold and deduct pay if they are authorized to do so by local, state, or federal law.

Additionally, an employer can deduct an employee's pay if they have written consent from a specific employee who wants to cover insurance, hospital, or other bills of their choice by deductions.

The law clearly states that all employees must be regularly and fairly compensated for their work. If you are an employee who believes an employer hasn't compensated you adequately, you should submit a formal complaint to the Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims .

Kentucky overtime laws

According to both federal and Kentucky state law, any number of hours exceeding 40 per week counts as overtime.

Forty hours per week is a regular requirement for full-time employees, e.g. those working Monday to Friday, from 9 to 5.

Non-exempt minimum wage employees who exceed that number of work hours are entitled to a wage of 1.5 times the regular minimum wage of $7.25. That amounts to $10.875 per hour and is applicable to all non-exempt employees who receive the minimum wage.

Kentucky state law also stipulates that, if an employee works for 7 consecutive days, the rate of all hours worked on the 7th day will be treated as overtime.

As is the case with the minimum wage requirement, there are also some exceptions to the overtime compensation of 1.5 times the minimum wage.

The following section will deal with exceptions from overtime in Kentucky.

Overtime exceptions and exemptions for White Collar employees in Kentucky

According to the federal overtime rules, which the state of Kentucky abides by, white collar employees are exempt from overtime pay. We've mentioned them as exceptions to the minimum wage rule as well.

Provided they earn at least $684 per week, white collar employees do not have to be paid at a 1.5 rate for working over 40 hours.

White collar employees are the ones working in any of the following categories:

• Administration — people who perform non-manual work related to business operations, management policies, or administrative training (provided that no more than 20% of the time is spent on activities unrelated to the position) — this category includes accountants, HR team members, market research analysts, etc.
• Executives — business, general, and executive managers who directly manage at least 2 employees.
• Professionals — people whose position calls for advanced knowledge and extensive education, such as software analysts or software engineers (The category also includes artists, certified teachers, and other creative work requiring talent, invention, or imagination.).
• Outside sales — outside sales representatives who visit potential and existing customers at their premises.

Kentucky overtime restrictions for specific occupations

Besides the federal government exemptions, the state enforces overtime restrictions on some other, more specific occupations.

The entire list of exceptions to the minimum wage applies to overtime exemptions as well.

The following occupations are exempt from overtime pay in Kentucky:

• Agriculturists
• US government employees
• People employed in domestic service in a private home
• Babysitters in the employer's home
• Companions of an elderly, sick, or convalescing person
• Newspaper delivery people
• People working in organized non-profit camps, religious, or educational centers (provided they are not open for work more than 7 months in a calendar year)
• Employees in a 24-hour residential care facility for children who are dependant, abused, or neglected
• Employees in non-profit child-caring facilities (provided the facility is licensed by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services)
• Employees in residential care working as family caregivers to an adult with mental health or intellectual disability (provided they are certified to provide adult foster care, by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services)
• Employees in retail stores, hotels, motels, restaurants, and service industries — provided that either of the following applies:

Kentucky break laws

Employers in the state of Kentucky are legally required to provide a meal break of at least 20 minutes to their employees whose shift is at least 7.5 hours.

This break must be provided to an employee between the 3rd and 5th hour of the workday, provided there's no mutual agreement stating otherwise.

Employers can choose not to compensate employees for meal breaks.

The state of Kentucky imposes another type of required break for employees. It's called the rest break. According to Kentucky law, employees must have a rest period of at least 10 minutes per every 4 hours of work.

Breastfeeding laws in Kentucky

This law is applicable to all working mothers who gave birth recently and are still breastfeeding. Employers whose businesses are based in Kentucky are required to provide adequate conditions for breastfeeding employees, as per federal law.

This type of break can be either paid or unpaid, as predetermined by the employer.

The “adequate conditions” part of the law refers to a room or location with a door that can't be a bathroom stall. That's in order to ensure privacy during the activity.

Employers' obligation is to provide such a location in the nearest possible proximity to the working environment.

In Kentucky, each District or Health Department has a dedicated Breastfeeding Promotion Coordinator who can help employers abide by all regulations concerning this topic, as well as provide additional information and resources.

Kentucky leave requirements

Kentucky state law regulates which types of leave employers are required to offer, as well as what happens in terms of compensation during an employee's leave.

The law also clearly regulates the following — for the required types of leave, employees shouldn't suffer any negative consequences upon their return to work.

Let's check out the rules and regulations regarding required and non-required leave in Kentucky.

Kentucky required leave

There are several types of required leave employers must provide their employees in Kentucky.

What the state law doesn't regulate is the compensation during the leave period. Employers can choose whether the leave will be paid or unpaid.

So here's the full list of the types of required leave in Kentucky:

Family and medical leave

Jury duty leave, voting time leave, military leave, emergency response leave, witness leave, adoption leave.

This is a type of required leave that all employers in the state of Kentucky must provide their employees with. Eligibility for this type of leave is regulated by the Family and Medical Leave Act or FMLA.

The FMLA states that all employees are eligible to use 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected work absence in a one-year period, for many household and medicinal-related reasons.

The reasons are:

• Care of the employee's own serious health condition
• Care of an immediate family member with a serious health condition
• Care of the employee's own newly-born child
• Placement for adoption/foster care of a child with the employee
• Any difficulty due to the employee's immediate family member is a covered military member on active duty

To be eligible, an employee must have worked for the employer for at least a year and at least 1,250 work hours. Note that this is applicable for employers with over 50 employees only.

Additionally, in an effort to protect the families of the Armed Services, Congress amended the FMLA in 2008.

Since then, employers have also been required to provide up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave if an employee needs to take care of a member of the Armed Forces with a serious health condition, injury, or undergoing medical treatment or therapy. This is applicable only if said member is an employee's spouse, parent, child, or next of kin.

Under Kentucky law, if an employee is summoned to perform jury duty, the employer must allow them to be absent from work during that time.

Moreover, the law states employers can't terminate or penalize an employee in any way for absence due to the acceptance of jury duty.

Kentucky employers must offer at least 4 hours of voting time leave to all their employees. Employees who take a leave of absence to vote mustn't be penalized in any way upon their return to work.

The only exception is when an employer is able to prove that an employee didn't vote during this leave of absence, for reasons that were within the said employee's control. In other words, it is illegal to postpone going off to vote just to receive these 4 hours off.

If an employer proves that is the case, they can penalize the employee in question.

This type of leave is regulated on a federal level, by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act . The act states that all employees in the US must be granted a leave of absence to serve in one of the following:

• The US Armed Forces
• The National Guard
• The state militia

Upon the employee's return to work, they must be entitled to the same pay increases and other benefits as if they were present at work the whole time.

Kentucky also has a state-specific regulation, referring to members of the Kentucky National Guard . The reason for this leave of absence doesn't have to be leave for active duty but may also include relevant training of any kind.

Kentucky state law protects all employees who want to take time off to respond to an emergency.

Employers must offer this type of leave to employees who act as one of the following:

• Volunteer firefighters
• Rescue-squad members
• Ambulance drivers
• Peace officers
• Any other emergency response position

Proof can be required, in the form of a letter from the supervisor or an institution where the employee performed the emergency work. Volunteer emergency workers mustn't be punished or disciplined in any way. Employers decide whether the leave is paid or unpaid.

If an employee suffers an injury while responding to an emergency, the leave can last up to 12 months. It is illegal for employers to discharge any employee during the recovery period.

The law requires employers to provide either paid or unpaid leave for all their employees who are summoned to be a witness in any court. Employers are not allowed to take any adverse action against such employees.

However, employers are allowed to ask for proof that the employee was a witness in court — in the form of a court or administrative certificate.

When it comes to employees who are in the process of adoption, employers are required to offer up to 6 weeks of leave.

That period should serve the purpose of receiving custody and any and all related activities.

Kentucky non-required leave

In Kentucky, there are 4 categories of leave that, by state law, employers are not required to offer to their employees.

Said categories are:

Vacation leave

Holiday leave, bereavement leave.

It is important to mention that the law also doesn't prohibit or restrict these types of leave.

Many company policies do offer some or all of the mentioned types of leave. If that is the case, the exact terms must be clearly stated in the signed contract of employment.

Under Kentucky state law, employers are not required to offer any paid or unpaid sick days.

Employers in Kentucky are not required to offer vacation leave. However, employers who choose to offer this type of leave can do so — but all the details regarding vacation leave benefits must be stated in the employment contract.

Employers in Kentucky are not legally required to offer either paid or unpaid leave for the period of any holiday and celebrations related to it.

Kentucky employers are not legally required to offer any paid or unpaid bereavement leave.

Child labor laws in Kentucky

Child labor laws apply to the employment of people aged under 18. We will use the term “minors'' to refer to this age category of employees in the state of Kentucky.

The main purpose of both federal and Kentucky child labor laws is to prevent the exploitation of minors. Additionally, these laws help highlight education as a priority, with employment only serving to enhance a minor's academic and life experience.

To be legally employed, all minors must obtain proof of age documentation and submit it to their employer. A driver's license and birth certificate can be said proof, as well as any other government-issued document that includes the date of birth.

Some of the most relevant limitations regarding the employment of minors can be seen in the following categories:

• Maximum number of work hours
• Beginning of their shift
• Restrictions on specific occupations

While different rules and regulations are applicable to different age groups, there is still one thing applicable to all age groups — minors are forbidden to work in any hazardous positions, according to the federal law.

Next, let's take a look at some more specific rules stated in the state of Kentucky Child Labor Laws.

Specific labor laws for minors in Kentucky

The state of Kentucky enforces specific rules for different age groups — 14 & 15 years of age and 16 & 17 years of age. Let's mention some restrictions on the maximum hours of work and night work for minors' employment.

The maximum number of work hours is regulated for all minors and differs when school is in session and when it's not.

Let's first cover the regulations that are applicable when school is in session:

• Minors aged 14 and 15 can work under the following conditions:
• Up to 3 hours per school day
• Up to 8 hours per non-school day
• Up to 18 hours per week
• Minors aged 16 and 17 can work under the following conditions:
• Up to 6 hours per school day
• Up to 30 hours per week

When school is not in session, minors aged 14 and 15 are allowed to work up to 8 hours per day and up to 40 hours per week. There are no restrictions for minors aged 16 and 17 in this case.

Night work restrictions go as follows:

• Minors aged 14 and 15 are prohibited from working between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m.
• If the shift is scheduled before a school day, minors aged 16 and 17 are prohibited from working between 10:30 p.m. and 6 a.m.
• If the shift happens before a non-school day, minors aged 16 and 17 are prohibited from working between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.

Employers are required to provide longer meal breaks for minors — at least 30 minutes per every 5 hours of work.

There are also some restrictions on child labor in specific industries.

Prohibited occupations for minors

We've previously mentioned that minors are prohibited from working in hazardous positions — now let's see what occupations and tasks are considered dangerous and hazardous in the state of Kentucky.

Here's the list of examples:

• Occupations in or about plants or other establishments manufacturing or storing explosives
• Any and all coal mine occupations
• Any and all logging or sawmill operations
• Handling power-driven hoisting apparatus, including forklifts
• Any and all excavating operations
• Any and all wrecking, demolition, and shipbreaking operations
• Occupations about and in connection with any establishment distilling, compounding, manufacturing, brewing, or bottling alcoholic beverages
• Any and all work on or about a roof

Hiring laws in Kentucky

When it comes to the hiring and selection processes, the first thing to mention is that Kentucky employers are prohibited from making hiring decisions based on several factors.

The main anti-discrimination aspects include the following categories:

• Gender-related identity
• National origin
• Genetic information (including family medical history)
• Physical/mental disability
• Child/spousal support withholding
• Military or veteran status

If you are an employee and you believe you were discriminated against, you should file a formal complaint, as the Kentucky Civil Rights Act strictly prohibits such behavior. There's also an online inquiry form you can fill out and check if your complaint fits into the category of discrimination.

Termination laws in Kentucky

Like the majority of other states in the US, Kentucky also implements an “ employment-at-will ” regulation and policy.

Let us explain what that means for both employers and employees.

• Employers — they can terminate their employees' work engagement anytime, for any reason.
• Employees — they are free to leave a job for any or no reason with no legal consequences.

Final paycheck in Kentucky

Employers in the state of Kentucky are legally required to provide a final paycheck to everyone whose employment was terminated for any reason. The paycheck must include all the leftover wages and benefits.

The final paycheck is due at the next regularly scheduled payday, or within 14 days of the separation.

Discrimination laws in Kentucky

Discrimination in the workplace is not only unethical but also illegal — these laws are applicable on a federal level, and apply to employee termination.

It is considered illegal if employers terminate employees on the basis of:

Additional, state-based anti-discrimination regulations apply in Kentucky, making it illegal to terminate an employee on the basis of their:

• HIV/AIDS status
• Off-duty tobacco use
• Occupational pneumoconiosis without respiratory impairment

Occupational safety in Kentucky

A safe working environment is required by both the federal and the Kentucky state laws. On a federal level, occupational safety is regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) , passed by Congress in 1970.

OSHA clearly states that employers are required to continually inspect for flaws and irregularities in the safety conditions, as well as continually work on improving them.

Every employer's obligation is to reduce and further try to eliminate the possibility of workplace injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

So, what are employers required to provide in order to ensure adequate workplace health and safety conditions?

For starters, proper training and education to all their employees immediately upon their employment.

Then, in order to comply with all the regulations, employers must conduct educational and advisory activities to assure safe and healthy working conditions.

There is another thing employers are required to do, to create optimal working conditions — the premises must be free from any recognized hazards that may cause harm.

Employers should regularly undertake safety demonstrations concerning health matters.

Effective enforcement of safety and health requirements is under the jurisdiction of OSHA inspectors, a.k.a. compliance safety and health officers.

Inspections can happen with or without probable cause, for the following reasons:

• Regular scheduling
• Reports of imminent danger
• Worker complaints
• Referrals from other agencies
• Targeted inspections (aimed at specific high-hazard industries)
• Reports of fatalities

In Kentucky, the Division of Compliance is responsible for the enforcement of Occupational Safety and Health Standards, both in the public and private sector workplaces.

If you are an employee and you notice any safety or health hazard at your workplace, you should file a complaint to the Division.

Miscellaneous Kentucky labor laws

The above were the most important and most common categories of labor laws that apply to all or some Kentucky employees — but, there are other labor laws. Read on, as some of the following may be applicable to your situation.

Here's what else is specifically regulated by the rule of law in Kentucky:

Whistleblower protection laws

Background check laws, pregnancy accommodation laws, employee monitoring laws.

The main purpose of this set of laws is to ensure that employees can exercise all of their legal rights without negative repercussions as a result.

The term “whistleblower” refers to employees who have inside knowledge of illegal practices or a safety hazard in the workplace. They must be able to report it and continue being employed.

Some of the reasons why employees can't be discriminated against, or treated in any way differently after are:

• Exercising their First Amendment rights
• Reporting an alleged violation of law
• Opposing or complaining about discrimination in the workplace
• Exercising their OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) rights
• Opposing or participating in an investigation of discrimination

Background checks are allowed for all the employers to conduct (but not required) and are subject to the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act .

This act regulates the collection, accuracy, and distribution of information in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. All employers must ensure they are following these requirements.

Only certain positions do require background checks for Kentucky employees and applicants — so let's see which ones:

• School personnel (including new certified hires, student teachers, and coaches)
• Public college and university personnel
• Personal services agency personnel
• Long-term care facilities personnel (provided the facility is owned, managed, or operated by the Department of Behavioral Health, Developmental, and Intellectual Disabilities)
• Childcare center personnel (provided the employee has direct contact with minors)

COBRA is a law that operates on a federal level — so let's start this section by explaining what the acronym means. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act , or COBRA, allows employees to retain health care insurance and benefits after the termination of employment.

Federal regulations also state this law can be applied to employers with over 20 employees.

For that reason, there's an extension to this law that each state can enforce to include small businesses with fewer than 20 employees. Said extension is referred to as the “mini-COBRA” laws.

In the state of Kentucky, mini-COBRA laws exist and ensure 18 months of continuation coverage, in case an employer has fewer than 20 employees.

The only exception to this rule is if the termination happened due to gross negligence or misconduct of an employee. Such employees don't have the right to continuation of health insurance and benefits.

Employers must provide adequate and reasonable conditions for their pregnant employees, in order to provide equal employment opportunities.

This is regulated by the Kentucky Pregnant Workers Act and is applicable to employers with 15 or more employees.

This regulation refers to the following:

• Assistance with manual labor
• Modifications to work schedule
• Frequent bathroom breaks
• Time off to recover from childbirth
• Modified work schedule
• Appropriate seating arrangements
• Acquisition or modification of equipment

Also, it is related to breastfeeding at work — which we've already covered in one of the previous sections, — requiring that employers provide adequate conditions for breastfeeding employees.

Employers are forbidden to monitor their employees via any and all electronic surveillance devices in the personal areas of the workplace, such as restrooms or changing rooms.

Kentucky state law also regulates all listening devices, which may not be used to listen to, amplify, record, or transmit communications.

The only exception involves the employer having the signed consent for monitoring or recording of at least one of the parties involved.

Record-keeping laws

Employers whose businesses operate in Kentucky follow the FLSA rules and are therefore required to keep the records of all their employees for at least 3 years.

So, if you're wondering what types and categories of information such records should consist of, read on — here's the full list:

• Social security number
• Occupation of the employee
• Date of birth
• Home address
• Regular hourly rate of pay
• Basis on which wages are paid
• Total daily or weekly net wages and deductions
• Total gross daily or weekly wages
• Date of each payment
• Completed copies of I-9
• Collective bargaining agreements
• Sales and purchases
• All certificates
• Records of leaves, notices, policies, etc. under FMLA

There are some other record-keeping laws that are applicable to specific situations. So, here's what else employers ought to keep on record, and for how long.

• Records of all job-related injuries and illnesses under OSHA — for 5 years
• Specifically dangerous instances under OSHA (e.g. covering toxic substance exposure) — for 30 years

Conclusion/Disclaimer

We hope this Kentucky labor law guide has been helpful. We once again remind you to make sure you've paid attention to the links we've provided, as most of them will lead you to the official websites and other relevant information.

Please note that this guide was written in Q2 2022, so any changes in the labor laws that were included later than that may not be included in this Kentucky labor laws guide.

We strongly advise you to consult with the appropriate institutions and/or certified representatives before acting on any legal matters.

Clockify is not responsible for any losses or risks incurred, should this guide be used without further guidance from legal or tax advisors.

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Kentucky Employment and Labor Laws

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Kentucky employment and labor laws generally favor employers when it comes to employment termination, with some limited exemptions. At the same time, the Bluegrass State has been taking steps to aid businesses by developing a globally competitive workforce through various developmental programs. Some of these efforts include investing in skills training, promoting manufacturing careers, and enabling work-ready communities. These programs are good news for the working population, as they now have government support to nurture their careers and overcome work-related challenges.

Hence, employees must have a basic grasp of work-related laws and equip themselves with relevant work skills. As a start, it is important to distinguish between employment and labor laws. Employment law governs the relationship between employers and employees. It is different from labor laws due to the added element of labor union coverage .

Overall, according to Oxfam, Kentucky can be found in the middle when it comes to having worker protection policies in place. It is worth noting that the state has stepped up to make sure that federal laws in certain areas of employee protection are stringently implemented. These include small employer obligations for health care continuation coverage and leaves for volunteer emergency responders .

The following sections give a summary of some of the important employment and labor laws in the state. 

Kentucky Wage and Hour Laws

Minimum wage.

The minimum wage per hour in Kentucky is $7.25, the same as the federal requirement. Currently, the Kentucky Employment and Labor Laws follow federal guidelines regarding increases to the minimum wage limit. Tip-earning employees can earn lower rates of at least $2.13 per hour if their total hourly earnings reach $7.25. 

Employees who render overtime (i.e., work for more than 40 hours) must be paid at a rate of 1.5 times their regular pay. Those who work a seven-day workweek must also be paid the 1.5 overtime rate on the seventh day. However, overtime pay will not be typically given to employees who work on holidays, Saturdays, Sundays, and rest days. It must only be given if the total workweek hours exceed 40 hours. 

Exemptions from overtime pay rules include employees such as:

Restaurant and hotel operational employees;

Retail store operational employees;

Taxi drivers, salespersons, and seafarers;

Certain salaried employees;

Residential caregivers working in certain childcare facilities;

In-home caregivers of sick people.

Wage Payment

Kentucky requires employees to be paid semi-monthly , with no more than 18 days in between pay periods. Additionally, employers should not withhold wages for reasons such as:

Personal fines;

Shortages in a cash box shared by two or more employees;

Sales losses from workmanship defects, customer non-payment, and other related scenarios not willfully caused by employees;

Property damage;

Bad checks, if employees are given the discretion to reject or accept checks.

Employees who are terminated from or voluntarily terminate their employment must be paid their last salary promptly. It must be given no later than the upcoming pay period or within 14 days from the last day of employment. 

Allowable Deductions

As mentioned above, there are some exceptions to the prohibition of withholding wages. 

Employers can make wage deductions in compliance with federal, state, or local laws and as agreed in the written employment contract. Such can be:

Insurance premiums;

Medical dues;

Garnishments for child support and creditor liens. 

It is unlawful for employers to require employees to pay for medical examinations required as a condition of employment. 

Meal and Rest Breaks

Employers must reasonably provide employees with meal breaks in the middle of their working shifts. However, this rule may not be applied should a collective bargaining arrangement exist. 

In addition, employees should be allowed to rest for at least 10 minutes every four hours worked. All these laws apply to employees except those under the Federal Railway Labor Act. 

Family and Medical Leave

Kentucky employment and labor laws do not have state-specific provisions but instead, follow the Family and Medical Leave Act . Under these federal guidelines, employers with 50 or more employees must provide 12 hours of leave for various valid reasons, such as:

Caring for a sick family member;

Recuperating from a serious health condition;

Qualifying exigencies arising out of any family member’s active military duty;

Caring for a newborn or bonding with a newly adopted child.

In addition to FMLA regulations, each employer must approve these state-required leaves for employees:

Jury and other court-related duties;

Time off to vote;

Military duty;

Emergency responder duty.

Kentucky Workplace Safety Laws

Private sector companies and local and state government agencies must abide by the Division of Occupational Safety and Health Compliance’s Kentucky State Plan . The State Plan comprises workplace safety and health programs designed to protect Kentucky workers from job-related illnesses, injuries, and deaths. 

Employers are required to keep workplaces free from hazards and provide informational campaigns and safety training. They must also promptly report to OSHA any fatalities and certain injury cases and set up proper record-keeping systems. If in violation, they can be penalized by up to $7,000, subject to daily increments if no corrections are made accordingly. Willful violations can result in a fine of $70,000 or more. 

Employees must comply with OSHA-related standards and rules that are designed for their benefit. 

Kentucky Workplace Posters

Certain posters and notices must be placed in conspicuous areas in the workplace. These notices are for matters such as:

Wage and Hour Laws;

Child Labor;

Wage Discrimination;

Safety and Health on the Job.

In addition, two posters are mandatory for employers in the Commonwealth: the Unemployment Insurance Benefits and the Kentucky Equal Employment Opportunity posters. 

Kentucky Discrimination Laws

The Kentucky Civil Rights Act prohibits employment discrimination of an individual based on the following:

National origin;

Disability;

Age (for those 40 and above).

The said law applies to private companies and public agencies with eight or more employees. The disability law applies to those with 15 or more employees. 

Furthermore, the Kentucky Equal Pay Law prohibits employee pay discrimination on the basis of sex for comparable jobs. 

There should also be no discrimination based on employment terms because an individual is a smoker or a non-smoker . Employers, however, have the right to incentivize employee participation in smoking cessation programs. 

Kentucky Workplace Harassment Laws

Employment discrimination can take the form of harassment, which is unlawful if the discriminatory practice becomes a condition of employment. It is also unlawful if such practice becomes pervasive enough that workplace conditions become hostile.

Sexual harassment is a specific form of discrimination targeted at the opposite sex. It can take the form of a request for sexual favors or unwelcome sexual advances. Harassment may not also be sexual; offensive remarks about a person’s sex are also considered unlawful. 

Employers can be liable for the discriminatory actions of their clients and certain employees, such as supervisors. This applies in cases where the discriminatory action leads to adverse consequences such as employee termination, demotion, or pay reduction.

Kentucky Labor Union Laws

Labor unions are employee-organized groups that seek to improve their salary, work conditions, and benefits. Kentucky Labor Union Laws grant employees the right to form such a group and exercise their rights through peaceful strikes. These laws, meanwhile, bar public employees from individually or collectively engaging in strikes and stopping work. 

Kentucky is the 27th state to have enacted right-to-work statutes based on union laws. Under these statutes, any employee cannot be compelled to join a labor organization and pay related dues. This also holds true in unionized workplaces. Employers cannot coerce or restrain any employee from joining labor organizations as a condition of employment. 

Complaints on violations of right-to-work statutes are investigated by the Office of the Secretary of the Kentucky Labor Cabinet . The office may initiate a criminal case against the violator through the local prosecutor’s office. 

Is Kentucky an At-Will Employment State?

Yes, Kentucky follows an at-will employment doctrine. This means an employer may terminate an employee without any reason or notice. Similarly, an employee can quit their job as long as they do not violate their employment contract and collective bargaining agreements. Both the employer and employee may avoid at-will employment arrangements by agreeing to a contract clearly stating it is only terminable by just cause. 

Certain cases are exempt from the at-will employment doctrine, such as when the termination violates basic fundamental rights. Case examples would be when an employee is fired for refusing to do something illegal or for discriminatory actions.

What Qualifies as Wrongful Termination in Kentucky?

Many cases of wrongful termination are based on discriminatory practices, such as terminating the employee for:

Having a medical condition;

Getting pregnant;

Taking a leave to care for a sick family member;

Being a member of a labor union;

Sporting a race-linked hairstyle;

Identifying as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community;

Filing a worker’s compensation claim .

Firing an employee for reporting workplace misconduct, illegal activities, and unsafe work conditions is also illegal. 

However, Kentucky’s whistleblower laws apply only to public employees. Whistleblowers in the private sector can seek protection from federal laws such as the False Claims Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. 

It is also unlawful if discharging the employee violates an implied or verbal employment contract. Factors that courts look into, like the longevity of employment and promotions, may be evidence that such an employment contract existed.   

In Kentucky, however, it is lawful for employers to terminate an employee due to:

Workforce cutbacks;

Business bankruptcy;

Weak performance;

Mass layoff.

How Do You Report an Employer in Kentucky for Wrongful Termination?

It depends on the reasons for termination. If you were fired due to discriminatory reasons, you can report your employer to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. To initiate the reporting, first submit an inquiry to have your case assessed. 

You can use the EEOC Public Portal to schedule an inquiry session via phone or walk-in visit to the Louisville Area Office . For guidance on laws or additional information, talk initially to an EEOC representative at 1-800-669-4000. 

On a related note, the discriminated employee can also file a claim at the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights for cases covered by state statutes. Note that KCHR and EEOC work together to process claims. Contact KCHR at 1-800-292-5566 for further guidance, or send an email to [email protected] . 

Retaliation-motivated termination of an employee reporting unsafe workplace conditions can be submitted to OSHA. Whistleblower complaints in this matter cannot be made anonymously. Complaints can be submitted online , by visiting the Kentucky State Plan Office , or by calling its number at 502-564-3070. 

If you were terminated for exercising your right under Kentucky labor laws, you may contact the 

state labor office at 502-564-5550. If your case is related to federal laws, contact the Department of Labor at 1-866-487-9243 or online . You can also get in touch with the Kentucky Wage and Hour Division at 502-582-5226 or by visiting its location .

For complex cases, it is best to consult with an employment lawyer near you. A lawyer can help you understand your legal rights and decide the best course of action. Lawyers can also assist you with how to deal with your employer and preserve your claim.

What is the Statute of Limitations for Wrongful Termination Cases in Kentucky?

There are different statutes of limitations for various wrongful termination cases in Kentucky.

Before a lawsuit can be filed, discrimination allegations that fall under federal laws must first go through the EEOC. This should be done within 180 days since the discrimination happened. 

A deadline of 300 days is given if any Kentucky laws are violated. The 180-day deadline also applies to claims filed at KHCR. EEOC will have to issue a Notice of Right to Sue within 180 days of receiving the discrimination claim. Discharged employees can also request the Notice of Right to Sue earlier than the said deadline. 

The following table summarizes the deadlines for each respective wrongful termination case:

How Much Can Someone Sue an Employer in Kentucky for Wrongful Termination?

Generally, compensation for wrongful termination cases can range from $10,00 to $120,000. In some cases, it can reach up to a million-dollar payout. 

Through a lawsuit, state laws provide the opportunity for wronged employees to pursue civil remedies for actual losses and legal fees. This means that they can seek reparation for quantifiable losses such as missing wages, possible earning loss, and lost benefits. 

Discharged employees may also seek to recover damages for non-quantifiable losses, like pain and suffering, mental stress, and emotional distress. However, recovery for these losses may be difficult without forensic law applications. Because of this, the said employees are advised to seek counsel with an employment lawyer in their area.

Many lawyers have put forth the assertion that a claimant/employee is more likely to receive better compensation than underrepresented ones. This is worth exploring for wrongfully terminated employees whose cases may have seriously affected their lives. These lawyers can assist in negotiating better severance packages, protecting their rights, and seeking justice .

Resources for Employees in Kentucky

Kentucky employment and labor laws can be confusing for ordinary employees. Thus, they are encouraged to utilize different government and non-governmental resources that can help their respective cases. The following section enumerates some of these resources:

Regional Civil Legal Aid Programs

Various regional Civil Legal Aid Programs can help low-income workers and disabled employees with serious legal problems. These programs include Kentucky Legal Aid, Legal Aid Society, Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, and AppalReD Legal Aid. They can provide representation, legal resources, and counsel to those who have been underpaid or had wages withheld unlawfully. 

Kentucky Career Center

Displaced workers can up their game by enrolling in skills training provided under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. They will also find assistance in finding employment, applying for apprenticeships, and making connections regarding vocational rehabilitation services. 

Those receiving unemployment insurance benefits can be eligible for financial aid. To get started, workers can talk to a career counselor at the nearest Kentucky Career Center office . They can also call 877-872-5627. 

Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance

State residents can obtain unemployment insurance benefits when they have been out of work for the past 12 months or less. Certain eligibility requirements apply. To get started, they can go through the Kentucky Unemployment Insurance (UI) Quick Guide . Filing the insurance claim can be done online or by calling 502-875-0442 during regular office hours.

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KY Labor Laws: Everything You Need to Know

KY labor laws are legislation that protects employees while still giving a number of rights to Kentucky employers. 8 min read updated on February 01, 2023

Updated June 26, 2020:

KY Labor Laws

KY labor laws are legislation that protect employees while still giving a number of rights to Kentucky employers. The majority of these labor laws protect employees in situations regarding minimum wage, overtime pay , and discrimination in the workplace .

Kentucky Minimum Wage

Employers in Kentucky are required to pay employees a minimum wage of at least $7.25 an hour. This minimum wage is the same as the federal minimum wage. The federal minimum wage is set by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which oversees several hour and wage-based laws.

Employees who earn tips are subject to a lower minimum wage, as long as the hourly rate and tips hit the standard minimum wage. Tipped workers may make as little as $2.13 per hour.

Kentucky Overtime Laws

Employers in Kentucky must pay a rate of at least one and a half times an employee's normal pay rate when the employee works anything more than 40 hours in a week. In addition, any employee who works seven days in a workweek is eligible for legally-mandated time and a half overtime pay on the seventh day.

Overtime pay is not legally required for employees working holidays, Saturdays or Sundays, or other regular rest days unless these days put the employee's worked hours at more than 40 for the week.

Employees over the age of 18 do not have a legal limit on the number of hours they work in a week.

Not all employees are eligible for overtime pay. Exempt employees, for example, salaried management, do not receive overtime pay when working more than 40 hours in a week.

Kentucky Break and Meal Laws

For every four hours worked in a day, employees in Kentucky are legally allowed a rest break of a minimum of 10 minutes. This is a paid break, and employees are not expected to perform job-related duties during their rest break.

Any break that lasts from five to 20 minutes is considered a normal part of the workday and is required to be paid at the employee's standard pay.

Meal periods are also mandated by Kentucky labor laws . Unless other arrangements are mutually agreed upon by the employer and employee, a reasonable meal break is required at some point between the third and fifth hours in a shift. As long as the employee is fully relieved of all duties, the meal break does not need to be paid time.

In some situations, employees may be required to work through their lunch period. When this happens, the break must be paid.

If employees decide they do not want to take a meal break, the employer can waive this. It is always in the employer's best interest to keep records when this happens, in case there are questions about meal breaks in the future.

During meal breaks, employers do not have to allow their employees to leave the work site. Bona fide meal breaks have a duration of at least 30 minutes. In some cases, depending on the specific circumstances, shorter breaks may qualify as a meal break.

If an employer does not follow the Kentucky break laws and instead fails to allow employees to take their mandated rest periods, employees can contact the Kentucky's division responsible for wages, hours, and mediation.

It is illegal for an employer to retaliate against an employee who has contacted the Department of Labor about incorrect break practices.

Kentucky Severance Pay Laws

There are no laws in Kentucky that require an employer to offer severance pay . However, if severance pay is offered, the company is required to comply with its own established severance pay policy or the employee's employment contract .

Kentucky Bathroom Break Laws

According to federal laws and regulations put out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), employees must get reasonable and adequate bathroom breaks. However, the state of Kentucky does not have specific laws regarding bathroom breaks.

Some employees may have specific medical conditions that require them to take bathroom breaks more frequently than their peers. When this happens, employers are required to allow the breaks as a reasonable accommodation.

If an employee feels that their employer does not comply with the regulation on reasonable bathroom breaks, the employee should feel confident in contacting OSHA. It is illegal for employers to retaliate against an employee for reporting unhealthy or unsafe working conditions.

Kentucky Breast-Feeding Breaks Laws

Women who are breast-feeding require time to express their milk throughout the day, or they can suffer from a reduced supply and extreme discomfort. As a result, new labor laws insist that employers give breast-feeding employees reasonable break time to express their milk.

Kentucky Labor Cabinet Investigations

Violations to Kentucky labor laws are investigated by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet. One of the most common investigations is a result of overtime pay violations. When an employer does not pay appropriate overtime, or does not calculate the overtime correctly, this violates labor laws.

A standard workweek for a full-time employee is fixed in a 168-hour recurring period. This is a total of seven consecutive periods of 24 hours. Keep in mind that an employee's work week doesn't necessarily coincide with a calendar week. It may start at any day in the week, at any hour in the day.

It is illegal to average the hours an employee works over two or more weeks.

Overtime pay an employee accrues in a week should be paid on the normal payday for that week.

In some cases, an employee may work in two or more functions for the same company, where these functions have differing pay rates. When this happens, the overtime rate for the week in question is the weighted average of these rates.

An employer may choose to pay exempt employees overtime. If this happens, it does not jeopardize the exempt status of the employee.

Break violations are also in the Kentucky Labor Cabinet's realm of investigation. When an employer doesn't provide the mandated breaks to employees, they are in violation of labor laws.

The Kentucky Labor Cabinet investigates violations that relate to unpaid hours. If all hours worked are not paid at the employee's normal rate, this is a violation. In the case when an employee quits or is removed from the company, all worked hours must be paid in full within 14 days or at the next normal pay day, whichever is first.

In addition, violations for unpaid hours include not paying employees their last paycheck after they leave the company, as well as when employers do not pay for accrued vacation time when employees are terminated.

Keep in mind that Kentucky law does not require employers to offer paid or unpaid vacation benefits. However, when an employer chooses to offer these benefits, they are required to abide by their established policy.

Employers who hire laborers, mechanics, and workmen who work on public works construction are subject to paying these employees prevailing wage. This is the term for the combination of the fringe rate and base rate. Employers not paying prevailing wage rates are in violation of the law.

If an employer classifies an employee as an independent contractor incorrectly, this is also a violation. Keep in mind that any time an employer has control over the employment relationship conditions, such as when and where work is performed, this is not an independent contractor relationship.

When a company is found to be in violation of Kentucky's labor laws, the government may impose stiff fines.

Kentucky Harassment and Discrimination Laws

According to Title VII of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, it is illegal for an employer to make decisions about a job based on:

• Sex (including pregnancy)
• National origin

Additional protections and federal laws protect employees from discrimination based on their genetic information, age (as long as the employee is 40 years old or older), and disability.

While federal law protects employees from discrimination if a company has 15 or more employees, Kentucky law applies to companies with eight or more employees. These laws are enforced by the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.

Workplace harassment is against the law. Any statement or action that is unwelcome and based on a protected trait that makes the workplace offensive or hostile is considered harassment. The most common and familiar type of harassment is sexual harassment . However, other types of harassment include statements and actions based on ethnicity, age, or disability.

Employers are not allowed to retaliate against employees who report harassment. No negative job actions can be taken against these employees, whether the complaint is made inside the company, to the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, to the EEOC, or even in a lawsuit.

Workplace Safety and Injury Laws in Kentucky

Thanks to the protections offered by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), employees can expect to work in a safe, healthy environment. Employers are required to provide a working environment that includes proper safety training and equipment for their industries.

If employees feel that their work environment is not safe or healthy, they can ask for an Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspection. Employers are banned from retaliating against employees who notify OSHA of possibly dangerous working conditions.

Employers in Kentucky are usually required by law to have worker's compensation insurance. This insurance helps pay for medical treatment, vocational rehabilitation, and a percentage of employees' normal wage if they are injured or become sick on the job.

Kentucky Time Off Laws

Kentucky does not regulate time off benefits, such as:

• Vacation time
• Paid time off

Employers that have 50 or more employees are required to give eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid time off for medical reasons under the Federal Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Employees using FMLA are allowed to continue receiving group health insurance benefits. In addition, their jobs are protected and must be reinstated when they return from leave.

There are special provisions in FMLA for employees who need time off work to take care of a family member who was injured seriously while on military duty. In this case, FMLA protects the employee for up to 26 weeks in a year.

Employers must also comply with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. This act protects employees taking leave for military service. Employees using this leave must be allowed their job back when their leave is over.

Unpaid leave is required by Kentucky law to be extended to employees who need time off for jury duty. In addition, employers are required to give up to four hours of unpaid time off work for employees to cast their ballots.

Leaving a Job in Kentucky

Kentucky is an at-will state, meaning that the majority of employees are considered at-will. Employees may quit their jobs for any reason at any time. In addition, an employer may fire an employee for any reason that is not illegal, at any time. At no time can an employer fire at-will employee for retaliatory or discriminatory reasons.

Insurance and Unemployment Benefits in Kentucky

Employees who are no longer working through no fault of their own may be eligible for unemployment pay and benefits. Eligible employees receive a percentage of their previous pay, up to a maximum of $415 per week, for up to a total of 26 weeks. Those who are eligible must spend time searching for a new job while on unemployment benefits.

Group health benefits that were previously available through an employer can continue after leaving a job through COBRA , also known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. It's important to remember that employees participating in the health insurance benefits through COBRA are required to pay the entire premium, including their portion and the employer's portion. Depending on the situation, COBRA benefits can be used for 18 or 36 months.

Talk to a Lawyer About Kentucky Labor Laws

Employees in Kentucky are protected by numerous state and federal laws. When employees feel that their rights have been violated by an employer, they should immediately contact a Kentucky employment lawyer .

If you need help with Kentucky Labor Laws, you can post your legal need on Upcounsel's marketplace. Upcounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on Upcounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies such as Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.

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Guide to Kentucky employee benefits and HR rules

If you’re a business owner who has just opened shop or employed someone in Kentucky, you and your HR team must familiarize yourself with the state’s employment laws and mandatory employee benefits. Understanding the necessary rules and regulations will help you stay compliant in The Bluegrass State. Learn more about the state’s employment laws with our guide below.

Are you looking for easy-to-manage benefits to help you comply with federal and Kentucky benefits laws? PeopleKeep can help! Schedule a free consultation with a personalized benefits advisor.

Is your organization compliant with Kentucky's employment laws?

If your company is Kentucky-based or you employ Kentucky workers, learning everything you need to know about HR compliance in the state is vital. This guide will provide a basic overview of Kentucky's employment and benefits regulations for small and medium-sized businesses.

Topics covered in this guide include:

What are employment laws in kentucky, what are employees’ rights in kentucky, required and non-required employee benefits in kentucky.

• Health insurance in Kentucky

Wage laws in Kentucky

The federal government sets minimum benefits and HR requirements for employers nationwide. But many states create their own employment laws that are an addition to federal regulations—and Kentucky is no exception.

Before opening or expanding your business in Kentucky, you should familiarize yourself with state employment laws.

In Kentucky, employers must follow several state-specific laws in addition to federal employment laws, such as:

• At-will employment
• Kentucky is an “at-will” employment state, meaning employers and employees can end an employment agreement at any time, with or without cause (provided there is no written contract stating otherwise).
• According to the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, employers can’t terminate an employee based on discrimination or other illegal factors. Employees who believe their employer fired them illegally can file a complaint to the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights.
• Kentucky Civil Rights Act (KCRA)
• The Kentucky Civil Rights Act (KCRA) prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation based on protected characteristics, including race, color, national origin, age, religion, mental or physical disability, sex, and pregnancy-related medical conditions.
• The KCRA applies to all public and private employers with eight or more employees. But for disability and pregnancy discrimination purposes, the Act applies to employers with 15 or more employees.
• Right-to-Work Laws
• As a right-to-work state, Kentucky employers can’t deny or refuse an individual a job based on if they’re a member (or not a member) of any labor union or organization. They also can’t refuse employment based on an individual’s payment (or lack of payment) of labor dues or other related fees.
• Kentucky Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
• Employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with medical conditions relating to pregnancy, childbirth, and other health-related situations. Accommodations may include more frequent rest periods, additional time off, creating safe and private spaces for expressing breast milk, and more.
• This Act applies to employers who’ve had at least 15 employees in 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or previous calendar year.
• Kentucky Child Labor Laws
• Child labor laws in Kentucky outline the ages of minors that are eligible to work, their prohibited jobs, the number of hours they can work, the time they can work, regulations regarding lunches and breaks, and other employer requirements.
• Kentucky Equal Pay Law
• This law prohibits wage discrimination between two employees doing similar work based solely on sex. Wage differences are acceptable if determined by seniority or merit.
• Workplace Drug Testing Laws
• As long as they follow specific regulations, employers can drug test current and prospective employees once the employer extends a job offer.​
• If an employer implements a drug testing policy, it must include drug and alcohol testing. They aren’t allowed to test based on discriminatory factors like age, race, sex, religion, etc. They can also terminate employees who test positive on random drug tests.
• Organizations certified as drug-free workplaces can receive a discount on their workers' compensation insurance premiums.
• Kentucky Whistleblower Act
• This Act protects employees from retribution for reporting abuses of authority, mismanagement, law violations, public health or safety dangers, and fraud as long as they make the report in good faith.
• Reporting Laws
• Employers must provide the Cabinet for Health and Family Services with a report containing the names, addresses, and Social Security numbers of all new hires and employees returning to work after a furlough or layoff.
• Business owners must submit the report within 20 days of a new hire’s start date, date of hire, or date of an employee’s return to work.

Now that we’ve reviewed a few Kentucky-specific laws, we’ll review the state’s employee rights.

Employees in Kentucky have many rights under state and federal law. Regardless of your organization's size, you must know your employees' rights if you have or plan to hire employees in the state.

Some state rights include:

• Employers must pay the federal minimum wage and overtime pay.
• Meal periods
• Employees must have a meal break, or lunch period, as close to the middle of their shift as possible. The break must be a reasonable period of time, and it can’t be before three hours into their shift or five hours after their shift starts.
• Employers can offer unpaid meal breaks if the employee doesn’t conduct any work during their break.
• Rest periods
• Employees must receive a ten-minute paid rest break for every four hours they work. The rest break is in addition to their meal break.
• Weapons in the Workplace
• Employees may keep concealed weapons, including firearms and ammunition, in their locked personal vehicle while on their employer’s property. They can retrieve their weapon only to defend themselves, others, or company property.
• The law doesn’t apply to company vehicles or employees who move their firearms to another location outside the vehicle for non-defensive purposes.
• Medical examinations
• Employers can’t require potential or current employees to pay for medical examinations or the cost of providing medical records as part of their conditions of employment.
• The Kentucky Safety and Health (OSH) Program
• Alongside the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), The Kentucky Safety and Health (OSH) Program enforces standards, training, and services related to workplace safety and health to prevent harmful conditions or practices at places of work.
• The OSH program applies to all employees in the public and private sectors except those working in federal government positions.
• State continuation of health coverage under Kentucky law
• Employees with fully-insured health plans that aren’t eligible for the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1986 (COBRA) may qualify for group coverage continuation if their employer has fewer than 20 employees.
• Under the state continuation law, employees and their eligible dependents can extend their coverage up to 18 months after no longer being a group member. After 18 months, they must switch to an individual health plan or get coverage through an employer to continue to have health coverage.

All companies must follow federal regulations regarding certain employee benefits. But some benefits required in one state may not be required in others. Let’s look at Kentucky's required and non-required employee benefits in the chart below.

Health insurance coverage in Kentucky

Like in many other states, if you’re a business owner in Kentucky with fewer than 50 workers, you aren’t required to provide health insurance benefits. But if you employ 50 or more full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), you must offer health insurance that meets minimum essential coverage (MEC) to satisfy the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) employer mandate.

Even if you don’t have to offer health benefits by law, it’s a great way to help your business stay competitive and attract talented employees. But traditional group health insurance can come with high premiums, annual rate hikes, and strict participation requirements that many businesses may be unable to manage.

Let’s look at the numbers. Small group health plan premiums in some Kentucky counties can cost as much as $652 per employee per month . In comparison, the average monthly premium for a 40-year-old with a silver individual health plan can be as low as $479 . This makes covering the cost of individual health plans in Kentucky more affordable for small to medium size businesses.

If you find that individual health insurance premiums are more affordable than group premiums in your county in Kentucky, you can leverage a health reimbursement arrangement (HRA) or a health stipend to cover the cost of individual health plan premiums instead of offering a group health insurance plan.

Health reimbursement arrangement (HRA)

An HRA is a flexible health benefit owned and funded by the employer. It allows you to reimburse your employees, tax-free, for their individual health insurance premiums and eligible out-of-pocket expenses .

With an HRA, your employees choose the individual health insurance plan that suits their medical needs and budget. They can shop for a plan using a private exchange or through Kentucky’s health insurance marketplace, Kynect .

HRAs offer many advantages for employers. They’re more customizable than group health insurance plans, have no annual rate hikes or participation requirements, and can help you control your budget by allowing you to choose your preferred monthly allowance amount.

Some HRAs, like the qualified small employer HRA (QSHERA), are only for employers with fewer than 50 FTEs. But others, such as the individual coverage HRA (ICHRA), are made for employers of all sizes and can even satisfy the federal regulations for applicable large employers (ALEs). This flexibility makes an HRA suitable for all categories of employers.

Learn more about each HRA

For employers with 1-49 employees

A simple, controlled-cost alternative to group health insurance.

For employers of all sizes

A flexible health benefit that can be used alone or alongside group health insurance.

For employers offering group health insurance

A group health supplement to help employees with out-of-pocket expenses.

Health and wellness stipends

With a health stipend, you can offer your employees a fixed amount of money they can use on healthcare items, services, and insurance premiums. A health stipend isn't a formal group health plan, so you have complete control over which expenses are eligible for reimbursement and aren’t subject to many IRS compliance regulations.

You can offer as much stipend allowance as your budget allows, and employees can purchase the medical items that work for them and their families. This makes stipends a more personalized option than group health insurance and flexible enough to accommodate all your employees’ needs.

Stipends are a taxable health benefit, but they’re also customizable. For example, small to medium-sized companies looking for a benefit that covers other expenses, like mental health counseling and gym memberships, can do so with a wellness stipend .

Offering a health and wellness stipend together gives your employees greater coverage for their overall well-being and happiness .

Learn all about employee stipends with our ultimate guide

Wages in Kentucky are subject to various state laws. We've compiled the most important requirements to know below.

Minimum wage laws

The minimum wage in Kentucky is $7.25 an hour, which is also the federal minimum wage. Should the federal minimum wage rate rise in the future, Kentucky will raise its minimum wage to match it.

All employers must meet the minimum wage rate. It’s illegal for employers to pay employees with disabilities, trainees, apprentices, and student learners and workers a lower wage rate the standard minimum wage.

Tipped wages

Employers can pay their tipped employees $2.13 per hour. However, they must ensure the employee’s hourly wage plus tips equals the minimum wage rate of $7.25 per hour. If the combined amount doesn’t reach the minimum wage rate, the employer must make up the difference.

Additionally, employers can’t require their employees to participate in tip pooling or sharing, which distributes a worker’s tips among other employees. An employer may inform employees that tip sharing is an option and explain how it works. After that, employees can choose if they want to participate.

Kentucky defines a workweek as a recurring period of 168 hours or seven consecutive 24-hour periods. Individual employers can decide when their workweek begins and set different workweeks for different employee groups. They aren’t required to align their workweek with the calendar week.

Employers are also free to determine how many hours an individual must work to be a full-time or part-time employee.

Hours worked

According to Kentucky wage and hour laws, employees must pay their employees based on their total hours worked. This includes a variety of instances, such as work performed during an employee’s regular shift, outside their regular shift, or away from the employer’s workplace.

Hours worked include the following situations:

• Waiting time: Depending on the situation, employers must pay for the time employees spend waiting to work. Some examples are a truck driver waiting for their coworker to load their delivery vehicle or a factory worker waiting for vital machinery repairs.
• On-call time: Employers must pay on-call employees if they must stay near the employer’s premises and can’t conduct personal business. On-call employees who leave the premises and have time to themselves are off-duty for compensation purposes, so employers aren’t required to pay them.
• Sleeping time: Employers must count sleeping time as hours worked if the employee is on-call while sleeping. Individuals in these positions may be domestic services workers like nannies or caregivers. Because it’s difficult to separate on- and off-duty hours in these cases, the employer and employee must come to a mutual agreement beforehand to determine how they will calculate sleeping time.
• Travel time: Employers must pay employees that travel as part of their regular job, such as business trips and traveling between job sites or offices during the day. This excludes regular commuting to and from work.
• Meeting, lecture, and training time: Employers must pay for employees' time at meetings, training, and other similar activities. Employers are exempt from paying if the meeting or training takes place outside the employee’s regular shift, attendance is voluntary, the event isn’t role-specific, and the employee can’t work during the event.

Employers aren’t required to pay employees for showing up for their shifts if they perform no work, or the employer dismisses them before their scheduled shift ends.

Regular pay rate

Employers can change an employee’s regular pay rate. But they must inform the employee of the change before they complete any work at the new rate. The change can’t be retroactive or made without notifying the employee.

Overtime pay

Similar to federal overtime rules, Kentucky law requires employers to pay their employees 1.5 times their regular rate when they work in excess of 40 hours in a given workweek and for any hours worked on the seventh day if an employee works seven days in a workweek.

There are no laws prohibiting employers from requiring their employees to work overtime and no limit to the number of hours they can require them to work in a day.

Some employees exempt from overtime laws are those working in sales or retail stores, administrative workers, salaried professional employees with specialized skills, and employees working in restaurants, hotels, or motels.

Prevailing wages

While Kentucky doesn’t have a prevailing wage law, Kentucky employees may be eligible to receive prevailing wages if they work on government-funded projects or perform certain government services. Prevailing wages may differ from the federal minimum wage depending on the employment contract or project.

Pay deductions

Employers are only allowed to make pay deductions in certain situations.

Eligible deductions Kentucky employers may make include from an employee’s paycheck include:

• Deductions required by local, state, or federal law, such as taxes, Social Security, court orders, and wage garnishments
• Deductions detailed in written agreements between the employer and employee, such as health and life insurance premiums, hospital and medical bills, and union dues.

Employers may not withhold or deduct wages from an employee’s paycheck for:

• Personal fines
• Cash shortages in a till, cash box, or register if used by two or more employees
• Losses due to acceptance of a bad check
• Losses due to a defective item
• Lost, stolen, or damaged property
• Default or nonpayment to a customer for goods or services if the loss wasn’t intentional by the employee

Pay frequency

All Kentucky employers must pay their employees at least twice a month and no later than 18 days after the end of each pay period. Any employee who misses their scheduled payment, for whatever reason, must receive their unpaid wages within six days of requesting them.

Payment methods

Under Kentucky law, an employer may pay wages by:

• Payable checks
• Direct deposit
• Employers can require direct deposit payments provided the employee can withdraw their entire paycheck without incurring a fee or penalty from their bank or financial institution.
• Payroll card account
• Employers aren’t allowed to charge the employee for the payroll card’s activation fee. Each pay period, they must allow the employee to make at least one withdrawal of any amount without penalty.

Pay statements and recordkeeping

Employers with ten or more employees must provide each employee with a pay statement at the end of each pay period. It must include an itemized list of all deductions and their general purpose.

Additionally, all employers must keep records showing the wages paid to each employee each pay period, the number of hours they worked each pay period, and other relevant information for authorized individuals upon request.

Once an employee leaves an organization for any reason, employers must pay all their final wages and benefits no later than their next scheduled payday or within 14 days after separation, whichever is later.

Employers aren’t required to provide severance pay unless otherwise stated in the worker’s conditions of employers or contract.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage in kentucky, what employers are subject to the kentucky civil rights act.

The Act covers all public and private employers with eight or more employees in twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or previous calendar year. For employment discrimination issues due to disability or pregnancy, the employer must have at least 15 or more employees in 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or previous calendar year.

How many hours must Kentucky employees work to be full-time?

Unlike other states, no Kentucky laws outline the number of hours an individual must work to be a full- or part-time employee. Individual employers can determine what is a full-time or part-time position.

There also aren’t any laws prohibiting employers from requiring employees to work overtime.

Do I have to offer health insurance in Kentucky?

No. However, the federal government requires organizations with 50 or more full-time equivalent employees to provide health insurance that meets minimum essential coverage (MEC).

Learn more about the requirements for applicable large employers

Looking to enhance your benefits package?

Speak with a PeopleKeep personalized benefits advisor who can help you answer questions and help you select the right benefits package for your team.

Safer Kentucky Act one of over a dozen bills to go into effect July 15

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WXIX) - The Kentucky bill that will crack down on crime and change the state’s penal codes is now in effect.

The Safer Kentucky Act, sponsored by Rep. Jared Bauman (R-Louisville), is intended to leave Kentuckians safer and create harsher punishments for criminals, according to its supporters.

Madelynn’s Law, Jake’s Law and the “Three Strikes Law” are just three of over 20 new policies that are enacted in the Commonwealth.

The Safer Kentucky Act: What is it & what will it do?

• Madelynn’s Law: Bail relief organizations can post bonds for less than $5,000. However, if a suspect is accused of a violent crime, is held under a civil court order, or is in jail for a warrant under Casey’s Law, then organizations cannot help with bond.
• Jake’s Law: If someone is found guilty of fleeing from police, then the penalty increases to a Class C felony charge, which means their sentence could be 5-10 years in jail. They will also be ineligible for probation, shock probation, conditional discharge or parole until 50% of their minimum sentence is complete.
• Three Strikes Law: If someone is convicted of their third violent felony, they will be sentenced to life in prison without parole or probation.

The new law was a heavily GOP-supported bill and was even co-sponsored by several representatives from Northern Kentucky.

• Mike Clines (R-Campbell)
• Kim Banta (R-Boone)
• Steve Rawlings (R-Boone)
• Stephanie Dietz (R-Kenton)

While Rep. Bauman’s goal is to make Kentucky safer, the law will impact those experiencing homelessness. According to the act, “street” or “unlawful camping” is now illegal in the state.

Leading up to the new law going into effect, the Homeless and Housing Coalition of Kentucky is trying to spread the word about the consequences of street camping.

If law enforcement finds someone “camping” or sleeping in a public space that is not a campground, they can write that person a $250 fine. If that person violates this law again, then they will be fined another $250 and will spend up to 90 days in jail.

Additionally, the bill allows property owners to take whatever means necessary if they find someone camping on their property who becomes aggressive.

The City of Covington passed its Fiscal Budget for 2025, in which officials state that they will continue to invest millions to prevent homelessness.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently reaffirmed Bauman’s bill, ruling that cities are allowed to fine or arrest people camping or sleeping in public or privately owned areas. The ruling comes after a lower court’s decision in the City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson , which argued that criminalizing homelessness is cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment in the Constitution.

But in a 6-3 decision, the U.S. justices paved the way for Kentucky to enforce its “no street camping law” and overturned the lower court’s decision.

In FOX19 NOW’s previous coverage of the Safer Kentucky Act, some state advocates or organizations said there are other reasons why people become homeless that are not related to substance abuse illnesses after previous statements were made by a few representatives.

The Safer Kentucky Act: How the quick-moving bill could impact homeless communities statewide

CEO of Welcome House Danielle Amrine listed a few of those reasons back in February.

• Rent increases
• Emergencies, such as a medical bill

“It’s difficult. I understand where some of our legislators are coming from - I just don’t think this is the way to do it,” she said in a previous interview.

FOX19 NOW also reached out to the Brighton Center in Northern Kentucky for comment and is waiting to hear back.

Other laws going into effect Monday, July 15

• House Bill 7: Creates framework for autonomous vehicles to operate in the state until July 31, 2026. Parts of the bill will take effect in August 2026.
• House Bill 30: Allows the Kentucky Department of Veteran Affairs to create a suicide prevention program for those actively serving, veterans and their families.
• House Bill 87: Allows certain family members to look at adoption records if they are related to someone who was adopted. This is only allowed if both birth parents and the adoptee have died.
• House Bill 142: Prohibits tobacco, nicotine products and vapes from all Kentucky public schools.
• House Bill 159: Healthcare providers will not be held criminally liable if a medical error is made and harms a patient unless the harm results from gross negligence or wanton, willful, malicious, or intentional misconduct.
• House Bill 174: Parents can access their child’s medical records until they are 18 years old.
• House Bill 207: Makes possessing, trafficking, importuning or promoting the use of a child sex doll a felony. The law against child pornography also expanded to include AI-generated images.
• House Bill 258: First-time offenders of animal abuse will receive stricter punishment. Torturing an animal becomes a Class D felony.
• House Bill 278: Requires age verification for adult websites, increases the penalty for offenders who sexually abuse, assault or exploit kids, and prevents these offenders and violent felons from working in public schools.
• House Bill 357: Prohibits government agencies from creating a list of privately-owned firearms or owners unless the information is used for a criminal investigation. Credit card companies are also prohibited from making merchant codes for gun stores.
• House Bill 378: The state rock is now coal, the state mineral is now calcite and the official state gemstone is agate.
• House Bill 446: Requires bus riders and at least one of their guardians to sign a transportation agreement, which outlines expectations and the consequences of misbehaving.
• House Bill 513: The Historic Properties Advisory Committee must ask the General Assembly for permission before removing statues, monuments or art on the permanent display in the Capitol rotunda.
• House Bill 611: If a student misses 15 days or more of school without an excuse, the school is required to file a complaint with the county attorney. If the student is in elementary school, then the parents will be held responsible.
• Senate Bill 20: If a juvenile uses a firearm to commit a certain felony(s) and is at least 15 years old, then they can stand trial in an adult court.
• Senate Bill 45: Kentucky State Police are required to make a new alert system for missing people over the age of 17.
• Senate Bill 46: Windshield tinting is legal as long as at least 70% of light can still pass through.
• Senate Bill 74: Creates information for mothers of infants and requires Medicaid to cover lactation consulting, breastfeeding equipment and in-home and telehealth services.
• Senate Bill 167: Requires elementary schools to teach cursive and ensures students are proficient by the end of fifth grade.

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Tennessee will remove HIV-positive people convicted of sex work from violent sex offender list

FILE - Gov. Bill Lee responds questions during a news conference after a bill signing ceremony Tuesday, May 21, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. HIV-positive people who were convicted in Tennessee of sex work under a decades-old aggravated prostitution law will no longer be required to face a lifetime registration as a “violent sex offender” under a lawsuit settlement finalized this week, Friday, July 19, 2024.(AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — HIV-positive people who were convicted in Tennessee of sex work under a decades-old aggravated prostitution law will no longer be required to face a lifetime registration as a “violent sex offender” under a lawsuit settlement finalized this week.

Last year, LGBTQ+ and civil rights advocates filed a federal lawsuit challenging the Volunteer State’s aggravated prostitution statute, arguing that the law was enacted in response to the AIDS scare and discriminated against HIV-positive people.

That challenge was settled this week, with Gov. Bill Lee and others signing off on the agreement.

Critics have long pointed out that Tennessee was the only state in the United States that imposed a lifetime registration as a “violent sex offender” upon conviction of engaging in sex work while living with HIV, regardless of whether or not the person knew they could transmit the disease.

The Tennessee Legislature first enacted its aggravated prostitution statute in 1991 — as the AIDS epidemic provoked panic and misinformation over prevention was prevalent. The law was later reclassified in 2010 as a “violent sexual offense,” requiring those convicted to face lifetime sex offender registration.

According to the settlement, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has agreed to begin the process of alerting people that they can be removed from the sex offender list who were on it because of convictions for aggravated prostitution.

However, attorneys representing the plaintiffs in the case vowed that the legal challenge was not over.

“This settlement is one step towards remedying those harms by addressing the sex offender registration,” said attorneys from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Transgender Law Center in a statement. “However, as aggravated prostitution remains a felony, our legal team will continue to fight to overturn this statute and ensure that no one in Tennessee is criminalized based on their health status.”

The four plaintiffs in the complaint, all named Jane Doe, were all convicted of aggravated prostitution in Tennessee at least once and have since faced challenges from having to register as violent sex offenders. One plaintiff reported being harassed after her neighbor discovered her HIV status on the registry list. Another plaintiff struggled for years to find housing that complies with Tennessee’s sex offender registry requirements.

According to the initial lawsuit, 83 people were registered for aggravated prostitution in Tennessee. The majority of those convictions took place in Shelby County, which encompasses Memphis.

The Tennessee Legislature tweaked the law earlier this year, notably by allowing those who were victims of human trafficking to get their records expunged if convicted of aggravated prostitution.

Attorney General spokesperson Amy Wilhite said in a statement that the TBI has since removed “multiple registrants” because of those changes.

“The litigation is ongoing, though, as our Office continues to defend Tennessee’s prohibition of aggravated prostitution,” she said.

Separately, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a separate lawsuit suing the state over its aggravated prostitution law earlier this year, specifically naming Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy in its challenge. The parties have since settled, with the district attorney agreeing not to prosecute individuals under the aggravated prostitution law that carries the automatic designation as a lifetime violent sex offender. Those convicted under the law would also be eligible to get their convictions vacated.

Associated Press writer Jonathan Mattise contributed from Nashville.

Safer Kentucky Act among dozens of new laws set to take effect July 15

More than 200 new Kentucky laws take effect July 15.

Here are some you should know about.

Transportation

Autonomous vehicles .

House Bill 7 allows autonomous (driverless) vehicles to operate on Kentucky roads and sets out the rules around autonomous vehicle operation. It requires very heavy vehicles (more than 62,000 pounds) to have a human driver onboard until July 31, 2026. 

Towing of cars 

House Bill 167  requires towing companies to provide their rate sheets to the nearest Department of Kentucky State Police post as well as other law enforcement agencies in their service areas. 

Windshield tinting

Under Senate Bill 46 , vehicle owners are allowed to tint their windshields if the tinting allows 70% light transmittance . The new law doesn't apply to other vehicle windows, and red and yellow tints are prohibited under this law. Current Kentucky law allows river and passenger doors can to be tinted, but must allow 35% of the light in.  Windows on rear doors must allow at least 18% of light in. 

Alcohol and drugs

House Bill 293  prohibits the sale of kratom to anyone under 21 years of age ; puts additional limits on what ingredients can go into kratom products; and requires kratom products to include a label with a list of ingredients, the name and address of the vendor, a disclaimer that kratom is not intended to treat medical conditions, and other details. 

Self-distribution of spirits 

Senate Bill 50 allows craft distillers (those with a Class B license) to sell up to 5,000 gallons annually of spirits they distill directly to retailers. 

Social and emergency services

Emergency medical services training grant.

House Bill 484 creates an emergency medical services education grant program designed to increase the number of paramedics in Kentucky. It includes tuition support for those employees of ambulance services who study to become paramedics as well as support for ambulance providers and training institutes. 

Parental rights 

House Bill 476  allows a parent to terminate their parental rights while a dependency, neglect or abuse proceeding is pending. 

Child abuse 

House Bill 271  makes several changes to Kentucky’s law around child abuse, neglect and dependency cases. It adds new requirements to how the Cabinet for Health and Family Services determines risk to a child as well as steps the cabinet must take when a safety plan is in place for a child. It also changes the law so mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect can make oral, written or electronic reports; currently they can make only oral reports. It also requires the state to operate a 24-hour-a-day reporting system. 

Birth certificates for homeless people 

House Bill 100  allows homeless people to obtain birth certificates without having to pay fees. 

Adoption records

House Bill 87  expands the list of people who can inspect adoption records to include the adult child, grandchild, or sibling of a deceased birth parent or deceased adoptee if certain other conditions are met. 

Child care benefits for foster parents

Senate Bill 240  allows the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to provide child care benefits to foster care parents who telework inside the home. 

Caregivers for children removed from their homes 

Senate Bill 151  allows children who have been removed from their homes to, if they are able, provide a list of relatives or “fictive kin” caregivers they could stay with. Relative or fictive caregivers can also apply to the Cabinet of Health and Family Services to become foster parents for a child removed from a home.  

Background checks 

Senate Bill 145  allows health facilities and providers who offer care through Kentucky Medicaid to submit background checks for new employees to the Cabinet for Health and Family Services so the cabinet can check whether the new employee is listed in the child neglect and abuse or adult abuse registries. 

Health care

Nursing regulations.

House Bill 459  changes the composition of Kentucky Board of Nursing and requires nurses and physician assistants to take a one-hour course on Alzheimer’s and dementia as part of their continuing education, among other changes.

Cancer screening for firefighters

House Bill 323  allows the Kentucky Fire Commission to reimburse firefighters for cancer screenings. 

Pharmacists and vaccines

House Bill 274  allows pharmacists to administer vaccines to children aged five or older. 

Step therapy for biosimilars

House Bill 220  allows health insurance companies to require insured people try “biosimilars” before providing coverage for equivalent brand-name drugs. Biologic drugs include Humira, Lantus, and Avastin. Biosimilars are similar to brand-name biologic drugs but typically cheaper. 

Violence against healthcare workers

House Bill 194  expands the definition of who is a health care worker for the crime of assault against a health care provider.  

Criminal immunity for healthcare workers

House Bill 159  provides healthcare workers immunity from criminal liability for harm or damages resulting from the care they provide except for in cases of gross negligence or wanton, willful, malicious, or intentional misconduct.

Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy 

House Bill 166  will allow family members to request that coroners determine whether a person’s cause of death is a direct result of a seizure or epilepsy. If the death is found to be a result of a "sudden expected death in epilepsy," or SUDEP, a copy of the death certificate will be sent to a national registry that is tracking such deaths. 

Anticoagulation management at home 

House Bill 31  requires state Medicaid insurers to provide coverage for at-home tests to check blood coagulation (clotting).

Maternal health

Some parts of Senate Bill 74 — the “Momnibus” aimed at improving maternal health care in Kentucky — take effect in July while others do not take effect until next year. Among those taking effect July 15: 

• The Cabinet for Health and Family Services must start setting up the Kentucky Lifeline for Moms, a hotline to help healthcare providers find services for mothers with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. 
• The bill changes duties and composition of the maternal and infant health collaborative administered by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. 
• The state Health Access and Nurturing Development Services (HANDS) program, which is a home visitation program for new and expectant parents, will provide information about breastfeeding and lactation consultants as well as the importance of safe sleep for babies. HANDS services can be provided virtually as well as in person. 
• The state Medicaid providers must provide insurance coverage for lactation consultation, breastfeeding equipment, in-home substance use disorder treatment via telemedicine, and telehealth and digital health services related to pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period.

Substance use disorder programs

Senate Bill 71  requires substance use disorder programs to make arrangements for transportation for a person who wishes to leave the program. If the person is under a court order to attend the program and leaves before the program is over, the provider must notify the court. The bill also prohibits substance use disorder programs and recovery residences from recruiting out-of-state residents enrolled in Medicaid. 

Worker’s compensation

House Bill 401  allows out-of-state physicians and retired physicians to make worker’s compensation determinations.

Crime and public safety

Safer kentucky act highlights.

House Bill 5 — often called the "Safer Kentucky Act" — is a wide-ranging bill making a long list of changes to Kentucky criminal law. Among those changes include:

• Creates a new crime of " unlawful camping " for sleeping on streets, sidewalks, cemeteries, in parks and under bridges.
• Creates the "three strikes" rule and prohibits probation, parole or early release for any person convicted of three violent felonies.
• Lets shop and business owners use a "reasonable amount of force" to prevent someone from escaping in cases of suspected shoplifting.
• Classifies carjacking as its own crime, a Class B felony
• Limits charitable bail organizations to bail payments of less than $5,000 and bans them from baling people out who are accused of violent crimes.
• Classifies selling or providing fentanyl to a person who dies from an overdose as manslaughter, a felony. The bill includes a “Good Samaritan” exception for those who seek help for an overdose. 

House Bill 385  changes to state laws regarding decision-making for adults with limited mental capacities. The law adds an adult friend to the list of people who can make health care decisions for someone lacking “decisional capacity.” The law also expands the number of settings where a person accused of a crime can undergo an examination to determine whether the accused is competent to stand trial. Currently, those examinations are only allowed to be performed at the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center. 

Porn age verification and changes to sex-crime-related crimes 

House Bill 278  prohibits school district superintendents from employing a person who has been convicted of a violent offense and expands the list of sex crimes for which a superintendent cannot employ someone. It increases the penalty for someone convicted of rape, sodomy, or using a communications system to procure a minor if that person was in a position of authority or special trust. The bill enacts stiffer penalties for human trafficking. It requires anyone convicted of distributing matter portraying a sexual performance by a minor to serve at least 85% of their sentence before being released on parole or probation. The bill also imposes age verification requirements for platforms that distribute pornography , meaning pornography websites must require people to submit identification proving they are at least 18 years old before they can access the content. 

Child sex dolls 

House Bill 207  creates new offenses of possessing, trafficking, importing and promoting child sex dolls . It also adds computer-generated images to the list of images considered illegal under the state’s child pornography law. 

Human trafficking

Among other thing, House Bill expands the definition of human trafficking, adding reporting requirements, allowing the attorney general to establish a working group to study human trafficking in Kentucky as well as requiring airports, truck stops, bus stations and train stations to post signs with help information for victims of human trafficking. 

Crime victim compensation 

Senate Bill 319  requires the Crime Victims Compensation Board to create an electronic portal and tracking system for crime victims applying for compensation and expands the list of family members to whom compensation can be paid. 

Children can be tried as adults

Under Senate Bill 20, children who are 15 years and older and charged with a Class A, B or C felony that involves the use of a firearm will be transferred to Circuit Court and tried as an adult.

Requirement for sex offenders on social media

Senate Bill 249 requires sex offenders who committed an offense against a minor must display their full legal name on social media platforms.

Torture of a dog or cat

House Bill 258 allows a person to be charged as a Class D felony and defines torture as “intentional infliction of or subjection to extreme physical pain or serious injury or death to a dog or cat, motivated by intent or wanton disregard that causes, increases, or prolongs the pain or suffering of the dog or cat, including serious physical injury or infirmity.” 

House Bill 551 allows law enforcement agencies to contract retired police officers to assist with homicide cold cases .

Criminal trespass

Also known as the "ag gag bill," Senate Bill 16 adds commercial food manufacturing or processing facilities and animal feeding operations to a list of protected infrastructure assets. This means unauthorized recording or photography, by drones or otherwise, at those facilities is a misdemeanor.

State police to establish Ashanti Alert System

Under Senate Bill 45, the Department of Kentucky State Police is required to create a Kentucky Ashanti Alert System to notify the public when an adult is missing and may have been abducted or kidnapped. The system is similar to Amber Alert notification system for missing children.

Environment and energy

Air pollution audits in louisville.

Companies that conduct an internal audit of their operations, discover a violation of local air pollution rules and voluntarily report that violation to officials are protected from penalties, with some limitations. House Bill 136 extends that protection to Jefferson County, the only place in Kentucky where a separate air pollution control district, rather than the state, actively regulates air quality and emissions .

Nuclear energy 

Senate Bill 198  creates a Kentucky Nuclear Energy Development Authority to support and facilitate nuclear energy in the state . The authority will have a governing board of 30 members and will submit an annual report to the governor and Legislative Research Commission, with the first one due Dec. 1, 2025.  A related resolution  directs the state Public Service Commission to make staffing and organizational changes to prepare for the building of nuclear energy facilities. 

Environmental emergencies 

House Bill 583  requires the Energy and Environment Cabinet to notify mayors, county/judge executives, and the chief executive officer of other local governments within seven days of an environmental emergency declaration.  

Coal is the official rock 

House Bill 378  rectifies an earlier geological error. It changes coal from the official mineral to the (geologically correct) official state rock of Kentucky. It also designates Kentucky agate as the state’s official gemstone and calcite as the state’s official mineral. 

No ranked choice voting and voter roll cleanup  

House Bill 44 prohibits the use of ranked-choice voting in any local, state or federal election. It also:

• Requires the Secretary of State, Board of Elections, and Administrative Office of the Courts to take steps to clean up voter rolls. 
• Requires the Board of Elections to create annual reports with every address in each county listing a registered voter and the number of active and inactive voters registered at that address. The list will be available at each county clerk’s office and online with personal information redacted. 
• Requires the Secretary of State and Board of Election websites to post links where people who are erroneously registered to vote in Kentucky can voluntarily cancel their registration, among other changes. 

Election recounts

House Bill 53 requires each Kentucky county to have at least one hand-to-eye recount for at least one race on one ballot scanner in each county. If there is a difference between the original count from the vote tabulation machine and the hand-to-eye count, the county board of election will open an election investigation.

Miscellaneous

Service animals .

House Bill 335  changes Kentucky law about assistance (service) dogs. It adds new requirements to the rules that govern where an assistance dog can be taken in public. It also creates a separate category of emotional support animals and specifies establishments do not have to admit emotional support animals even if they do have to admit assistance dogs. The law also makes it illegal to misrepresent a dog as an assistance dog.

Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program 

House Bill 256  creates the Strengthen Kentucky Homes Program to provide grants to property owners, contractors, nonprofits and others to help make Kentucky homes more likely to resist wind and hail. The bill requires insurance companies to offer premium discounts or rate reductions to policies that cover homes meeting certain construction standards. 

Time limits on coroners

Senate Bill 17  changes the requirements around how long coroners have to sign certificates of death. Currently, coroners have to go through two separate procedures when a death is under inquiry or the cause of death is unknown. Coroners will be able to wait until the inquiry into the death is complete to sign paperwork and will have five working days to sign a death certificate. 

Nail technicians and estheticians 

Senate Bill 14  changes the composition of the Kentucky Board of Cosmetology by requiring one licensed nail technician and one licensed esthetician to sit on the board. It also allows nail technicians who have failed test or practical demonstration to retake that portion after one month. It allows nail technicians to use callus graters for callus removal and clarifies procedures for how the board deals with alleged violations of laws and regulations. 

Statues at Capitol

House Bill 513 gives power to the legislature to approve the permanent installation or removal of "statues, monuments, or objects of art on permanent display" in the capitol's rotunda.

The power to remove or add statues previously belonged to the Historic Properties Advisory Commission, and the bill also outlines the process for the commission to seek the general assembly's approval.

Reach Rebecca Grapevine at [email protected] or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @RebGrapevine. Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @[email protected] or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.

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Ask caray: how does kentucky's expanded move over law work.

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Traffic laws can be tricky.

In this week's "Ask Caray," WLKY's Caray Grace finds out "How does Kentucky's expanded Move Over law work?"

She spoke with a Louisville Metro Police Department Officer who works the Traffic Unit and sees a lot of distracted driving every day.

"Sitting on the side of the road, whether it be with a stranded motorist, an accident or on a traffic stop...the biggest things are people not slowing down or merging over as the law requires," says LMPD Ofc. Jeremy Allen.

Allen says Kentucky has had a Move Over law in effect since 2003, which requires drivers to move over a lane when an emergency vehicle is on the shoulder.

But as Allen sees every day, people ignore that law.

"I've been on a stranded motorist call with my lights on sitting behind the vehicle and had traffic going by at 25 mph over the posted speed limit. You will get a ticket for that," Allen said.

As of July 2024, the Slow Down, Move Over law has expanded to protect stranded motorists. If you absolutely cannot change lanes, you are required to slow down to a reasonable speed and pay attention.

"If you're doing 55 miles an hour, slow down to 45-50, whatever you deem safe. If traffic is coming up on you pretty quick, slow down and keep your attention on whatever is going on on the shoulder so if something were to happen and somebody falls or trips... you have time to react," Allen said.

For those who don't move over or pay attention and slow down, you could face a $500 fine or up to 30 days in jail.

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The Democrats who could be Kamala Harris' running mate

After President Joe Biden announced that he’d end his re-election campaign , attention immediately turned to who will replace him on the ticket.

Biden quickly endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him, prompting a cavalcade of prominent Democrats across the country to follow suit. The decision of who the next Democratic nominee will be ultimately rests with the party’s delegates at the national convention in Chicago next month.

But if Harris does unify the party behind her, she'll be in need of a running mate.

She hasn’t said anything publicly about whom she would consider as a running mate. But here are some of the top names Democrats have floated as potential Harris vice presidential contenders:

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Beshear, 46, brings to the ticket all the political benefits of a Southern Democrat who has won convincingly in a conservative state on a pro-reproductive-rights message, as well as a generation shift.

Beshear entered the national conversation following his re-election victory in Kentucky in November, when he by 5 percentage points a state that Biden had lost by 26 points in 2020.

His win was largely the product of the unique brand he built in ruby red Kentucky, effectively separating himself from the national party by focusing on state issues. Prominently, he touted the state’s economic progress and his response to natural disasters, including devastating floods. At the same time, he leaned into health care and education — and most heavily  his support for abortion rights .

Beshear endorsed Harris for president during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Monday. Asked about being a potential running mate, he responded, "The only way I would consider something other than this current job is if I believed I could further help my people and to help this country."

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg

Buttigieg, 42, came seemingly out of nowhere when he rocketed to the top of Democrats’ crowded 2020 presidential field, wowing primary voters with his beyond-his-years intelligence, personal story and rhetorical chops.

Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, beat out far more established rivals to win the Iowa caucuses but struggled with voters of color and dropped out of the race to endorse Biden, helping consolidate support around him. In the Biden administration, Buttigieg has been one of Biden’s most visible and capable surrogates, often going on TV to speak on behalf of the administration, especially on transportation policy. 

Buttigieg, an openly gay Navy veteran, is raising twins with his husband, Chasten, who has become a cultural figure in his own right on the left. Given his native Indiana’s conservative lean, Buttigieg has been rumored to be considering higher office in other states, such as Michigan, where Chasten is from.

Buttigieg said in a statement that Biden is “among the best and most consequential presidents in American history,” and he endorsed Harris.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper

Cooper, 67, would bring a Southern Democrat with a strong winning track record and political crossover appeal to the ticket. He won both his races for governor in years Trump carried North Carolina at the presidential level. 

As governor, Cooper has been a champion of abortion rights in a state where Republicans enjoy close to a supermajority in the Legislature. While he has vetoed several anti-abortion bills, some of them have been overridden by the Legislature, including a ban at about 12 weeks of pregnancy that went into effect in July 2023. He has also focused heavily on expanding Medicaid, and last year he signed a law after Republican lawmakers got on board and passed bills through both chambers.

Cooper has at times made little secret of his flirtation with higher office. In an interview with NBC News in March, he said, “I love public service, I think I have more in the tank, and I will see what options I have after I leave office.”

Cooper, who wasn't able to run for re-election this year due to term limits, threw his support behind Harris in a post on X after Biden dropped out.

Asked about the possibility of joining Harris on the ticket on "Morning Joe" on Monday, Cooper said, “I appreciate people talking about me, but I think the focus right now needs to be on her this week, and she needs to concentrate on making sure that she secures his nomination and gets the campaign ready to go.”

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., has won twice statewide in Arizona, a historically red state that is now ultracompetitive. He won a special election to the Senate in 2020, when control of Congress was decided by wafer-thin margins. He won again in 2022, defying GOP expectations of a red wave during a Democratic president’s midterm election.

Kelly is a former astronaut with a reputation for pragmatism, and his political talents have been noticed. In the Senate, he has leaned in on local issues like water conservation and microchip manufacturing. He’s the husband of former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., who was shot in 2011 and has gone on an inspiring journey that includes becoming a prominent gun safety advocate. Republican operatives have privately lamented that Kelly is Teflon with voters.

He’s the type of candidate the GOP might have a hard time rallying against. Kelly has also managed to navigate a divide between Arizona progressives and moderates that bedeviled fellow Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, a Democrat-turned-independent who is retiring after one term.

Kelly endorsed Harris to replace Biden on the top of the ticket in a statement Sunday .

Retired Adm. William McRaven

Allies of Harris are already vetting retired Adm. William McRaven, a source told NBC News.

The 68-year-old retired four-star admiral is most well-known for organizing and overseeing the special operation that killed Osama bin Laden as head of Joint Special Operations Command in 2011. He later spent four years as chancellor of the University of Texas system before retiring in 2018. 

In the years since, he has often emerged as a vocal critic of Trump, particularly on national security issues . (Trump went after McRaven in 2018 , saying he should have caught bin Laden sooner).

McRaven is also famous for a 2014 University of Texas commencement speech about his 10 lessons for living a meaningful life (one of them was "make your bed," a to-the-point item that helped make video of the speech go viral).

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore

Moore — a 45-year-old Army combat veteran and Rhodes Scholar — had been a political newcomer before his bid for governor. But his 32-percentage-point win — which made him just the third elected Black governor ever — as well as his personal story (his father died when he was a child, prompting moves and instability) and his youth helped quickly make him a rising star in the Democratic Party.

His name had been floated as a potential contender in 2028 — but it’s not impossible that Democrats see Moore’s personal story and his electoral success as too good to pass up in the current moment.

Moore has less experience than most of the other names on this list, but a recent bridge collapse in Baltimore propelled him into a high-profile disaster response role .

Moore, in a statement posted to X Monday , endorsed Harris. Later Monday, he told reporters in Washington, "I have no interest in the job" when asked whether he'd accept an offer to be Harris' running mate.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Newsom, 56, has a long history with Harris going back to their days coming up in San Francisco politics together. Only three years apart in age, they have shared several key advisers and donors over the years and had parallel career arcs — an experience that has made them allies and, at times, rivals, with Newsom seen as somewhat to Harris’ left politically.

Newsom was mayor of San Francisco when Harris was the city’s district attorney. And they were both elected to statewide office the same year, 2010, when she became attorney general and Newsom became lieutenant governor. 

A people person to his core, Newsom is an ambitious and hard-working political operator, drawing on deep networks of wealthy supporters from Hollywood, Silicon Valley and California’s wine country — before politics, he founded a boutique winery with a billionaire heir to the Getty family, the benefactors of one of Los Angeles’ premier art museums. More recently, he has built a large national following as a progressive leader.

But he and Harris’ shared California roots could also present a legal hurdle, because the Constitution mandates that the president and that vice president hail from different states.

Newsom endorsed Harris Sunday evening.

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker

Pritzker, 59, was an active Biden campaign surrogate, traveling to battleground states to stump for him. He founded a nonprofit committee, Think Big America, to advocate for abortion rights and to combat extremism, with a focus on battleground states. 

Pritzker, a second-term governor who is popular in the state, has been outspoken about protecting women’s reproductive rights and has held up Illinois as a beacon for women seeking access to care. Pritzker has signed a host of progressive initiatives into law, including a ban on assault weapons, ghost guns and switches; an increase in the minimum wage; a measure to enshrine abortion protections into law; and measures to legalize cannabis and expunge records. He has invested in early childhood education, working toward universal preschool in the state.  

Pritzker has also demonstrated considerable political savvy, having landed the 2024 Democratic National Convention in his state after repeated lobbying. Pritzker is widely considered to be a future presidential contender. As a billionaire who has self-financed his campaigns in the past, he is positioned to effortlessly step into a national campaign and immediately be flush with cash.  

Pritzker endorsed Harris on Monday.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Shapiro, 51, brings to the table a substantial record of outperforming other Democrats in the most pivotal of swing states, Pennsylvania. Shapiro ran ahead of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton when he ran for attorney general and outperformed Biden when he won in a landslide in his 2022 race for governor.

Shapiro first was elevated onto the national scene as state attorney general for a high-profile investigation into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church and fighting to defend his state’s election after the 2020 vote as former President Donald Trump battled to overturn it. Now, he’s dealing with perhaps the most important moment of his political career as he handles the fallout from the attempted assassination of Trump, which took place in his state.

He enjoyed a relatively high level of support from Republicans in his 2022 run compared to other Democrats, and he maintains decent approval ratings across the aisle .

Shapiro said in a statement Sunday that he is backing Harris for president.

Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia

Before he entered national politics, Warnock, 54, had been the pastor at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta — enjoying the influence and historical importance of speaking from the pulpit of the church of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most storied in America. 

Since then, he has been repeatedly put to the electoral test in a key battleground state. Warnock has been on the ballot five times since 2020 : one Democratic primary, two general elections and two runoffs — and he has finished first each time.

He was the first Black person elected senator from Georgia — and his elevation to a national ticket would most likely energize Black voters across the U.S., who polls show had been flocking away from Biden.

A major drawback to Warnock’s leaving the Senate, however, is that Democrats would lose the seat if he were on a winning presidential ticket. Under Georgia law, Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, would appoint a successor, and he would be certain to appoint a Republican — throwing into further question Democrats’ ability to maintain their narrow majority. 

Warnock said he was "proud to endorse" Harris in a statement Sunday night.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz

Walz, the 60-year-old two-term governor of Minnesota, could help the Democratic ticket shore up support in the upper Midwest, where the electoral votes from so-called "blue wall" of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Michigan will be critical in deciding the 2024 election.

Having Walz on the ticket could also help draw progressive voters back into the fold. Walz has utilized his time as the state's top official to advance a litany of progressive policies, including protecting abortion rights, legalizing recreational marijuana and restricting gun access — a record that would be likely to burnish the leftist credentials of the ticket.

Walz praised Biden in a statement Sunday evening, but has not yet commented on Harris' campaign.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer, 52, would offer the ticket a Midwestern governor who was re-elected to a second term by a healthy margin after she emerged as a Trump foil. She was onstage at an event in Detroit in 2020, when Biden presented himself as a “bridge” to Whitmer and other younger leaders. She eventually cracked his shortlist for vice president.

During the early days of the Covid pandemic, Whitmer’s criticism of the federal response drew Trump’s rage. He branded her, derisively, as “the woman from Michigan.” Later in 2020, the FBI scuttled a plot to kidnap her by men who were angry about her Covid shutdowns. 

Whitmer is also known for folksiness and colorful language. “Fix the damn roads!” was the rallying cry for her first campaign for governor. Fight Like Hell is the name of her political action committee. And she has embraced the nickname “Big Gretch,” which was popularized by a Detroit rapper.  

Whitmer has said she wouldn’t run for president this year. On Monday, she endorsed Harris in a statement, and later told local Lansing outlet WLNS 6 News that she wouldn't accept an offer to be Harris' running mate if it were offered.

"No, I'm not planning to go anywhere," Whitmer said when asked whether she'd accept such an offer. "I am not leaving Michigan."

CORRECTION: (July 22, 2024, 11:46 am ET): A previous version of this article misstated when Shapiro was elected governor. It was in 2022, not 2020.

Adam Edelman is a politics reporter for NBC News.

Alex Seitz-Wald is a senior political reporter for NBC News.

Allan Smith is a political reporter for NBC News.

Natasha Korecki is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Sahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.

Henry J. Gomez is a senior national political reporter for NBC News

Kentucky's expanded 'Move Over Law' takes effect Monday. Here's what it means

Changes are hitting the roads in Kentucky. A law aimed at protecting drivers is expanding to keep you and your family safe.

In a few days, if you're driving on a highway in Kentucky and see a disabled car on the side of the road, you will be required by law to move over if you can do so safely. If you can't, you have to slow down.

Since 2003, Kentucky law has required drivers to "Slow Down and Move Over" to protect first responders, highway crews, and tow truck operators.

Starting Monday, the law is expanding. Anyone approaching a disabled vehicle with flashers, flares or other warning signals will be required to move over a lane if it's safe or slow down if you're on a road with less than four lanes.

"We're very happy for it and it's very important. I'm glad they're starting to notice we're having issues on the road," Cincinnati Towing operator Chris Boor said. "It's very dangerous when you're on the side of the highway with your back turned, hooking the car up or even a disabled vehicle, say flat tire."

According to Kentucky State Police, since June 2019, 32 people have been killed in crashes while leaving or approaching their vehicles on the side of the road.

During the same five-year period, 16 people were killed while changing tires or performing other work.

"Certainly, distracted driving and impaired driving are huge issues. When we talk about people being struck beside the roadway, whether they're working or they're stranded motorists and so it's just a reminder once again, not to drive distracted, never drive impaired. Those are two of the main causes of these sorts of crashes," public affairs manager with AAA Blue Grass, Lori Weaver Hawkins, said.

Kentucky joins more than 20 other states in adding these protections for everyone, adding another layer of safety for anyone who may be stuck.

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Who Is Usha Vance, the Wife of J.D. Vance?

The two met at Yale Law School, and Ms. Vance has helped him along in his political rise ever since — including now as Donald J. Trump’s vice-presidential pick.

• Share full article

By Joseph Bernstein

• Published July 15, 2024 Updated July 17, 2024

If you were to build a member of the American elite from scratch, she might look something like Usha Vance.

The wife of Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, Donald J. Trump’s newly announced running mate, certainly has the credentials. A corporate litigator at a prestigious San Francisco law firm, Ms. Vance has clerked for Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., and for Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh when he was an appeals court judge. She earned degrees from Yale and Cambridge.

It’s a conspicuous résumé for a woman whose husband gave a speech in 2021 titled “The Universities are the Enemy” and rarely missed a chance to bash the establishment as he campaigned for the Senate in 2022, as The New York Times previously reported.

But Ms. Vance is something of a political cipher.

The daughter of Indian immigrants, Usha Chilukuri grew up in a San Diego suburb. Friends from her childhood and adolescence described her as a “leader” and a “bookworm.” Brainy, ambitious and pragmatic, she moved from an extracurricular-studded four years at Yale to a Gates Fellowship at Cambridge, where she moved in mostly liberal and left-wing circles. As of 2014, she was a registered Democrat.

She and Mr. Vance met at Yale Law School, and the pair were married in Kentucky in 2014, and blessed by a Hindu pundit in a separate ceremony.

Ms. Vance has played a quiet but significant role in her husband’s rise. At Yale, she helped Mr. Vance organize his ideas about social decline in rural white America, which formed the basis of his breakout memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” (In 2020, the book was adapted into a film directed by Ron Howard.)

And she made rare but well-choreographed appearances with Mr. Vance as he sought the Ohio Senate seat — including a Newsmax interview in which she seemed to contradict claims that her husband had taken on a populist message in order to succeed politically.

In an interview with “Fox & Friends” last month, Ms. Vance — who mostly stays out of the spotlight — sounded a note of ambivalence about the prospect of her husband running for the second-highest office in the country.

“I’m not raring to change anything about our lives right now, but I believe in J.D., and I really love him, and so we’ll just sort of see what happens with our life,” she said.

The pair have three children.

Ms. Vance’s career has put her in an awkward contrast with her husband’s political persona.

From 2015 until the day that Mr. Vance became the Republican vice-presidential nominee, Ms. Vance worked as an associate and then as a corporate litigator at Munger, Tolles and Olson, a law firm with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington that describes its corporate culture as “radically progressive.”

A 2019 article in The American Lawyer placed the firm’s hiring practices in the “cool, woke category.” (The San Francisco news site SFGate reported earlier on Ms. Vance’s resignation from the firm.) As Politico reported last year , Mr. Vance delayed the confirmation of State Department roles by sending nominees a questionnaire to determine whether they were too “woke.”

Before becoming Mr. Trump’s vice-presidential pick, Mr. Vance once identified himself as “a Never Trump guy” and said he “never liked him.” But Mr. Vance went on to embrace Mr. Trump and accepted the former president’s endorsement in the Republican primary for the open U.S. Senate seat in Ohio that he won.

Joseph Bernstein is a Times reporter who writes feature stories for the Styles section. More about Joseph Bernstein

Who is JD Vance's wife? Here's what we know about Usha Chilukuri Vance

Former President Donald Trump picked J.D. Vance, 39, to be the vice-presidential nominee for the Republican Party. Should the Trump-Vance ticket win in November, Vance's wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance, would become the Second Lady of the United States.

Usha Vance has traditionally stayed out of the spotlight, working as a litigator at a national law firm until recently.

Here's what we know about her.

How did J.D. Vance and his wife meet?

Vance and his wife, Usha, 38, have been married since 2014 and have three children: Ewan, Vivek and Mirabel.

The pair met at Yale Law School, which they both attended. Their wedding took place a year after they graduated.

Where is Usha Vance from?

The New York Times has reported Usha Vance is the daughter of Indian immigrants and grew up in the San Francisco area.

What is Usha Vance's educational background?

Usha Vance has her undergraduate degree in history from Yale University, according to her LinkedIn profile . She also has a master's degree in philosophy from the University of Cambridge.

While at Yale Law School, she worked on the Yale Law Journal and participated in the school's Supreme Court Advocacy Clinic, the Media Freedom & Information Access Clinic, the Iraqi Refugee Assistance Project and the Pro Bono Network, according to her LinkedIn.

Where did JD Vance go to college? Vice presidential candidate has multiple ties to Columbus

Usha Vance worked as a law clerk for both the Supreme Court of the United States, working for Chief Justice John Roberts, and the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, working for Judge Brett Kavanaugh.

What does Usha Vance do now?

Mrs. Vance had worked as a litigator for Munger, Tolles and Olson LLP , a national firm based in San Francisco. She chose to leave her job in the wake of her husband's vice-presidential nomination, according to a statement from the firm.

"Usha has been an excellent lawyer and colleague, and we thank her for her years of work and wish her the best in her future career," the statement said.

Where does Usha Vance stand politically?

According to Ohio voter registration records, Usha Vance registered to vote in Ohio in 2018.

Records show she pulled a Republican primary ballot in the 2022 election. She has not voted in Hamilton County since the 2022 General Election, including the 2024 Ohio presidential primary, according to the Hamilton County voter list.

Usha Vance's previous voting history shows she voted as a Democrat at least once while living in Connecticut.