HB 771 — AN ACT relating to earned paid sick leave.

Summary

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.

Bill Text

• Introduced View text Current pdf

Compared against the Kentucky Revised Statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill establishes a requirement for employers to provide earned paid sick leave to employees.

• KRS 337.990

  KRS 337.345, and KRS 337.385 to 337.405, or willfully hinders or delays the → KRS 337.345, and KRS 337.385 to 337.405, or willfully hinders or delays the

  The change clarifies the legislative text without modifying penalties.

• KRS 337.990

  shalls. → .

  The change modifies punctuation for clarity.

• (1) As used in this section: (a) "Child" means a biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild, or legal ward of an employee if the child is less than eighteen (18) years old, or is over eighteen (18) years old but incapable of self-care due to a mental or physical disability; (b) "Earned paid sick leave" means the time off from work that is provided by an employer to an employee as computed under this section that can be used for purposes set forth in this section and is compensated at the same hourly rate as the employee earns from his or her employment at the time the employee uses the paid sick leave; however, the hourly rate shall not be less than the minimum hourly wage under KRS 337.275; (c) "Employee" has the same meaning as in KRS 337.010(1); (d) "Employer" has the same meaning as in KRS 337.010(1); (e) "Health care provider" means any person licensed under federal or state law to provide health care services, or any other person authorized to provide health care by a licensed health care professional, including but not limited to physicians, osteopaths, nurses, advanced practice registered nurses, physician assistants, and psychologists; (f) "Parent" means a biological, adoptive, or foster parent of an employee or an employee's spouse, or other person who assumed the responsibilities of parenthood when the employee or the employee's spouse was a child; and (g) "Spouse" means the person to whom an employee is married. (2) Each employer shall provide earned paid sick leave to each employee working for the employer in the state. An employee shall begin accruing earned paid sick leave beginning on his or her date of hire or on the effective date of this Act, whichever is later, but employees shall not be entitled to use accrued earned sick leave until the ninetieth calendar day following commencement of employment. For every thirty (30) hours worked, the employee shall accrue one (1) hour of earned paid sick leave. An employee exempt from overtime requirements under state or federal law shall be assumed to work forty (40) hours each week unless his or her normal work week is less than forty (40) hours, in which case earned paid sick leave shall accrue based on that normal work week. (3) The employer shall not be required to permit the employee to accrue at any one (1) time, or carry forward from one (1) year to the next, more than forty (40) hours of earned paid sick leave if the employer has less than ten (10) employees or more than seventy-two (72) hours of earned paid sick leave if the employer has ten (10) or more employees.

  This addition establishes a new requirement for employers to provide paid sick leave and outlines the definitions and conditions applicable.

Action History

1. March 05, 2026

   to Economic Development & Workforce Investment (H)

2. February 26, 2026

   to Committee on Committees (H)

3. February 26, 2026

   introduced in House

Sponsors

• George Brown Jr. · Primary
• Beverly Chester-Burton · Primary

Subjects