This bill amends Kentucky law to ensure gender-neutral language in provisions about final wage payments to employees. It directly affects employers and employees by clarifying that all earned wages must be paid in full within the next normal pay period or within 14 days of an employee leaving or being discharged. The amendment updates the existing statute to use inclusive language while maintaining the same payment requirements and deadlines for final compensation. The bill does not change the timing or conditions for wage payment, only the wording to apply equally to all genders.
Amend KRS 337.415, relating to court-ordered appearances by employees, to define terms; prohibit employers from discharging or retaliating against an employee who is a crime victim when the employee takes leave to attend proceedings associated with the prosecution of the crime; require an employee to give an employer reasonable notice to take leave when practicable; provide guidelines for use of paid leave; require the employer to maintain confidentiality of records and communication with employee crime victim; create a civil cause of action for improper discharge, discrimination, retaliation, and failing to maintain confidentiality; amend KRS 337.990 to establish a civil penalty for employer violations.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require employers to provide earned paid sick leave to employees; provide that employees earn paid sick leave upon the date of hire and can use the leave after being employed for 90 days; set forth allowable uses of accrued earned paid sick leave; designate how notice of need to use earned paid sick leave is provided by employees; amend KRS 337.990 to establish the penalty for employers that fail to follow earned paid sick leave requirements.
Amend KRS 337.010 to define "committed relationship," "family care leave," "family member," "health care provider," "same employer," and "serious health condition"; create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to prohibit employers from refusing to grant a qualified employee family care leave; entitle an employee to family care leave for the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child or to take care of a family member and establish parameters; amend KRS 337.990 to establish penalties for violations by any person.
HB 437 eliminates the one-week waiting period for new unemployment benefit claims in Kentucky. It directly affects unemployed workers filing initial claims by allowing them to receive benefits immediately upon eligibility, rather than waiting a week. The bill amends Kentucky Revised Statute 341.350 to remove the requirement for a waiting week, while keeping all other eligibility rules - like work search activities and base-period wage requirements - unchanged. This change applies to all new claims filed after the law takes effect.
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 337 to establish a prevailing wage law for all public works projects; amend KRS 12.020, 99.480, 227.487, 151B.015, 337.010, and 337.990 to conform.
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 337 to require employers to give employees a good-faith estimate of the employee's work schedule, maintain a voluntary standby list of employees who wish to work additional hours, post weekly schedules at least 7 days in advance, and provide certain rest periods for employees from being scheduled; allow employees to identify time limitations for scheduling work hours; require compensation for employer changes to the schedule; set forth unlawful practices; amend KRS 337.990 to establish a penalty for violations.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require any employer doing business in Kentucky that receives governmental incentives or subsidies to pay its employees a living wage.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require every employer to establish a workplace policy that provides employees the right to disconnect from communications from the employer during nonworking hours; provide exceptions; amend KRS 337.990 to provide a penalty for violation of the lunch period requirements in KRS 337.355 and for violation by an employer of a right to disconnect workplace policy.
Create a new section of KRS Chapter 337 to require the Office of the Kentucky Center for Statistics to establish a certified living wage based on occupation type and geographic area utilizing data from the Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program if the employer receives certain financial incentives from local, state, or federal agencies; amend KRS 151B.133 to require the Office of Kentucky Center for Statistics to establish a certified living wage by July 1, 2027, and every year thereafter; amend KRS 337.990 to establish civil penalties.
