AN ACT relating to wages.

UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 329
Page 1 of 2
XXXX 11/20/2025 9:44 AM Jacketed
AN ACT relating to wages. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
Section 1. KRS 337.275 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) (a) Except as may otherwise be provided by this chapter, every employer shall 4
pay to each of his or her employees wages at a rate of not less than: 5
1. Nine dollars and fifty cents ($9.50) an hour beginning on the effective 6
date of this Act; 7
2. Eleven dollars ($11) an hour beginning on July 1, 2027; 8
3. Twelve dollars and fifty cents ($12.50) an hour beginning on July 1, 9
2028; 10
4. Fourteen dollars ($14) an hour beginning on July 1, 2029; and 11
5. Fifteen dollars ($15) an hour beginning on July 1, 2030 [five dollars 12
and eighty-five cents ($5.85) an hour beginning on June 26, 2007, not 13
less than six dollars and fifty -five cents ($6.55) an hour beginning July 14
1, 2008, and not less than seven dollars and twenty -five cents ($7.25) an 15
hour beginning July 1, 2009]. 16
(b) If the federal minimum hourly wage as prescribed by 29 U.S.C. sec. 206(a)(1) 17
is increased in excess of the minimum hourly wage in effect under this 18
subsection, the minimum hourly wage under this subsection shall be increased 19
to the same amount, effective on the same date as the federal minimum hourly 20
wage rate. If the state minimum hourly wage is increased to the federal 21
minimum hourly wage, it shall i nclude only the federal minimum hourly rate 22
prescribed in 29 U.S.C. sec. 206(a)(1) and shall not include other wage rates 23
or conditions, exclusions, or exceptions to the federal minimum hourly wage 24
rate. In addition, the increase to the federal minimum hou rly wage rate does 25
not extend or modify the scope or coverage of the minimum wage rate 26
required under this chapter. 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 329
Page 2 of 2
XXXX 11/20/2025 9:44 AM Jacketed
(2) (a) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, for any 1
employee engaged in an occupation in which he or she customarily and 2
regularly receives more than thirty dollars ($30) per month in tips from 3
patrons or others, the employer may pay as a minimum not less than five 4
dollars ($5) an hour beginning on the effective date of this Act. 5
(b) If[ the hourly wage rate requi red to be paid a tipped employee under] the 6
federal minimum hourly wage [ law] as prescribed by 29 U.S.C. sec. 203 is 7
increased in excess of the minimum hourly wage in effect under this 8
subsection, the minimum hourly wage under this subsection shall be 9
increased to the same amount, effective on the same date as the federal 10
minimum hourly wage rate. 11
(c) The employer shall establish by his or her records that for each week where 12
credit is taken, when adding tips received to wages paid, not less than the 13
minimum rate prescribed in subsection (1) of this section[29 U.S.C. sec. 203] 14
was received by the employee. No employer shall use all or part of any tips or 15
gratuities received by employees toward the payment of the statutory 16
minimum hourly wage as required by subsection (1) of this section[29 U.S.C. 17
sec. 203]. Nothing, however, shall prevent employees from entering into an 18
agreement to divide tips or gratuities among themselves. 19