Kentucky Payroll Rules

Frequency of Payments

You must pay your employees at least twice per month. You must pay them within 18 days after the end of the pay period.

If an employee is absent on payday or otherwise not paid on payday, you must pay them within six (6) days of the employee’s demand for their paycheck.

Manner of Payments

You may pay your employees by cash, check, or direct deposit.

Payment Upon Separation

If an employee leaves your company for any reason, you must pay them by the next regular payday or within 14 days of separation, whichever comes later.

Deductions

You can only make deductions from an employee’s paycheck if

• authorized to do so by local, state, or federal law; or
• the employee has consented in writing to the deduction to cover
  • insurance premiums,
  • hospital or medical dues, or
  • other deductions not specifically forbidden.

You cannot withhold or deduct the following from an employee’s paycheck:

• fines;
• cash shortages in a common money till, cash box, or register used by two (2) or more people;
• breakage;
• losses due to defective or faulty workmanship;
• lost or stolen property;
• damage to property;
• default of customer credit or nonpayment for goods or services, if the losses are not due to the employee’s intentional or willful disregard of the employer’s interest;
• uniforms;
• tools, or
• other necessary items.

Uniforms & Other Required Equipment or Tools

Kentucky does not have any laws about whether you can require an employee to purchase a uniform or equipment necessary for them to do their job.

Pre-Hire Medical, Physical, & Drug Tests

You cannot require an employee to pay for the cost of any pre-hire exams.

Notice of Wage Reduction

There are no laws dictating whether you have to notify an employee about the wage reduction.

Paystubs

If you have 10 or more employees, you must give them a paystub on each payday. The paystub must include the amount and general purpose of each deduction.

Recordkeeping

For each employee, you must keep the following information for at least one (1) year:

• full name and identifying symbol or number, if used in place of name on any time, work, or payroll records;
• social security number;
• home address;
• date of birth (if under 18);
• sex and occupation;
• time of day and day of week on which the employee’s workweek begins;
• hours worked each workday and each workweek;
• regular rate of pay and total straight-time earnings for all hours worked during the workweek;
• total overtime earnings for the workweek;
• total additions to or deductions from wages each pay period;
• the dates, amounts, and nature of each addition and deduction; and
• total wages paid each pay period and the date of payment.

Notices

Kentucky does not require you to post payroll-related notices.