Kentucky Worker Rights
Kentucky follows the federal minimum wage but requires paid rest breaks and meal periods, and its state OSHA program gives workers extra time to file retaliation complaints.
- Kentucky
Pay
- Minimum wage: $7.25, the same as federal.
- Overtime: 1.5x over 40 hours a week. State law also requires overtime for work on the seventh day in a workweek in some cases.
- Final pay: by the next regular payday or within 14 days, whichever is later.
- Prevailing wage: repealed in 2017; Davis-Bacon applies on federal projects.
Breaks and leave
- Rest breaks: a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked.
- Meal period: a reasonable meal break, generally between the 3rd and 5th hour of work.
- No state paid sick leave law.
Unions and right-to-work
Kentucky is a right-to-work state: a union contract can’t require you to join a union or pay dues or fees to keep your job. You still have the right to organize and act together with coworkers under federal law. See Right-to-Work States.
Where to file
- Unpaid wages and overtime: Kentucky Labor Cabinet, Division of Wages and Hours, or the U.S. Department of Labor.
- Discrimination and harassment: Kentucky Commission on Human Rights, or the U.S. EEOC.
- Safety: Kentucky OSH Program, the state plan, covers most private and public employers.
- Work injuries: report the injury to your employer right away, in writing, and follow up with Kentucky’s workers’ compensation agency. See Workers’ Compensation.
Check current rules: this is a summary. Wage rates and labor laws change often, usually on January 1 or July 1, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm details with the Kentucky Labor Cabinet before acting. Federal protections apply too. See Where to Get Help.
Standards & references
Last updated: