Intro to Kentucky Labor Laws

The city of Lexington passed their Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act on May 12, 2023, prohibiting discrimination based on natural hair and hairstyles associated with any race, religion, and national origin. This new ordinance provides additional protection against discrimination from employment, educational, and housing opportunities. Employers should take action by reviewing their anti-discrimination, dress code, and appearance policies and updating their policies to be inclusive of these protections.

Governor Beshar signed an executive order protecting the possession of marijuana for certain medical purposes, as outlined in the order. Kentucky employers can still maintain policies that prohibit drug use or require drug testing, but should review such policies to take into account how these new protections may impact the need to accommodate medical conditions of candidates and employees alike.