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Kentucky Labor Laws 2025

Kentucky has labor protections including the federal minimum wage, mandatory meal and rest breaks, overtime pay including seventh-day premium, and became a Right to Work state in 2017.

Important: Kentucky requires meal breaks between the 3rd and 5th hour of work and 10-minute paid rest breaks every 4 hours. Most requirements apply to employers with 2 or more employees.

Minimum Wage

Kentucky follows the federal minimum wage with no state minimum wage law above federal levels.

Key Requirements

  • State minimum wage: $7.25 per hour (same as federal minimum)
  • Tipped employees: $2.13/hour cash wage (with tip credit to reach $7.25)
  • Applies to employers with 2 or more employees
  • Training wage provisions may apply for employees under 20 in first 90 days
  • Some exemptions for certain agricultural workers

Additional Resources

Overtime

Kentucky follows federal overtime requirements under the FLSA with no additional state requirements.

Key Requirements

  • Overtime pay: 1.5x regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek
  • Seventh-day premium: 1.5x for hours worked on seventh consecutive day
  • No daily overtime requirement (calculated weekly)
  • Standard FLSA exemptions apply (executive, administrative, professional)
  • Applies to employers with 2 or more employees

Additional Resources

Meal and Rest Breaks

Kentucky requires meal breaks for employees working longer shifts.

Key Requirements

  • Meal break: Reasonable off-duty period (typically 30 minutes) for shifts of 3-5 hours
  • Lunch period: Must be provided between 3rd and 5th hour of work
  • Rest periods: 10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours worked
  • Employees must be completely relieved of duties during unpaid meal breaks
  • Applies to employers with 2 or more employees

Additional Resources

Payment of Wages

Kentucky has specific requirements for wage payment frequency and timing.

Key Requirements

  • Employees must be paid at least semi-monthly (twice per month)
  • Payment must be made within 18 days after end of pay period
  • Final wages: Must be paid by next regular payday or within 14 days, whichever is later
  • If employee is discharged: must be paid by next regular payday or within 14 days
  • Direct deposit allowed with employee written authorization

Additional Resources

Child Labor

Kentucky has comprehensive restrictions on youth employment.

Key Requirements

  • Work permits required for minors under 18
  • Ages 14-15: Limited to 3 hours per school day, 18 hours per week during school
  • Ages 14-15: 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week when school not in session
  • Ages 16-17: No hour restrictions but hazardous occupation restrictions apply
  • Minors under 16 cannot work before 7am or after 7pm (9pm in summer)

Additional Resources

Right to Work

Kentucky is a "Right to Work" state as of 2017.

Key Requirements

  • Employees cannot be required to join a union as a condition of employment
  • Employers cannot require union dues or fees as a condition of employment
  • Kentucky became a Right to Work state in 2017
  • Does not prohibit unions or collective bargaining
  • Workers have freedom to choose whether to join or support a union

Additional Resources

Kentucky Break Requirements

Kentucky is one of the few states with mandatory break requirements for adults:

Meal Breaks (Unpaid)

Reasonable off-duty period (typically 30 minutes) must be provided between the 3rd and 5th hour of work for shifts of 3-5 hours

Rest Breaks (Paid)

10-minute paid rest break for every 4 hours worked

Overtime Including Seventh-Day Premium

Kentucky requires overtime compensation in two situations:

  • Weekly overtime: 1.5x regular rate for hours over 40 in a workweek
  • Seventh-day premium: 1.5x regular rate for all hours worked on the seventh consecutive day of work

Kentucky as a Right to Work State

Kentucky became a Right to Work state in 2017:

  • Workers cannot be compelled to join a union or pay union dues
  • Union security agreements are prohibited
  • Applies to private sector employment (public sector employees already had this protection)

Employer Size Threshold

Most Kentucky labor laws apply to employers with 2 or more employees:

This includes minimum wage, overtime, and break requirements. Very small businesses with fewer than 2 employees may be exempt from some state requirements but must still comply with federal law.

Navigate Kentucky's Break Requirements

Rightwork automatically enforces Kentucky's meal and rest break requirements, calculates seventh-day overtime, and ensures compliance with all state labor laws.

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