--- title: "2026 Kentucky Minimum Wage & Overtime Calculator | StatePayRules" source_url: "https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/" canonical_url: "https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/" retrieved_by: "AnswerRail Edge Engine v1.1.0-parity-v20 (https://answerrail.com)" provenance: "Compiled for deterministic AI retrieval by AnswerRail Edge (RFC 9110 / RFC 9421)" description: "Calculate Kentucky daily overtime, weekly overtime, tipped minimum wage, and meal break penalties. Updated for 2026 FLSA & KRS 337.275." rfc_compliance: "RFC 9110 / RFC 9309 / RFC 9421" version: "1.1.0" release_version: "v1.1.0-parity-v20" signing_kid: "ar_ed25519_2026_k1" jwks_uri: "https://answerrail.com/.well-known/http-message-signatures-directory" edge_network: "Cloudflare Workers Anycast (330+ Global PoPs)" verified_latency: "<15ms (Warm Edge Cache HIT) / 80-250ms (Cold AST Compile)" --- > **Canonical Source:** [https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/) > > *Calculate Kentucky daily overtime, weekly overtime, tipped minimum wage, and meal break penalties. Updated for 2026 FLSA & KRS 337.275.* ## Kentucky Overtime & Paycheck Calculator If your employer failed to pay this overtime or required off-the-clock work, you may be entitled to **100% liquidated damages (Double Pay)**. ### Visual Pay Composition Breakdown ### Managing payroll or shift workers in CALIFORNIA? Avoid Department of Labor non-compliance fines. Automate state-specific overtime, double-time rules, tip credits, and statutory tax withholdings with **Gusto Payroll Automation**. ### Kentucky Statutory Wage & Overtime Authority Statutory Legal Citation: `KRS 337.275` Kentucky minimum wage is $7.25/hr. Includes a 7th consecutive day overtime rule requiring 1.5x pay for employees working 7 days in a single workweek. #### Employee Statutory Rights (KY) - ✓ 7th consecutive day overtime: 1.5x pay for working 7 days in a workweek under KRS 337.050. - ✓ Statutory minimum wage of $7.25/hr. - ✓ Weekly overtime at 1.5x over 40 hours. #### Employer Mandatory Obligations (KY) - § Pay 1.5x regular rate for work on the 7th consecutive day. - § Pay employees at least semimonthly. - § Maintain detailed payroll logs. #### Kentucky Statutory Wage & Overtime FAQs Under statutory citation **KRS 337.275**, the 2026 minimum wage in Kentucky is **$7.25 per hour**. Employers paying below this baseline face Department of Labor back-pay audits and statutory interest penalties. Kentucky follows the standard federal FLSA rule (Title 29 U.S.C. § 207). Overtime is calculated weekly for hours exceeding 40 hours in a 7-day workweek with no daily cap. Kentucky permits employers to claim a maximum tip credit of $5.12/hr against tipped staff, requiring a minimum direct cash wage of $2.13/hr. #### Common Kentucky Payroll Compliance Traps & Audit Penalties Overlooking Kentucky 7th consecutive day overtime rule. Failing to make up tip credit shortfalls. Unlawful paycheck deductions. ### Did Your Employer Violate Kentucky Labor Law? 30-Second Diagnostic • Sourced from KRS 337.275 Based on Kentucky labor code standards (KRS 337.275), your responses indicate potential statutory wage violations. ### Never Miss an Overtime Dollar or Statutory Rate Update Set weekly payday audit reminders & Kentucky labor code alert updates Add a recurring Friday payday paystub audit reminder directly to your phone calendar. ### Employer Statutory Violation & Penalty Risk Audit Department of Labor & State Compliance Fine Exposure in Kentucky Under FLSA § 216(b), mandatory double back pay is assessed for unpaid overtime. 1 hour regular rate premium pay per workday missed under state law. Waiting time statutory penalties for delayed final paycheck settlement. Automate state-specific overtime thresholds, tip credits, and meal breaks with Gusto Payroll & multi-state compliance partners. ### FLSA & KY Overtime Exemption Checklist Determine if an employee is legally exempt from overtime under state and federal law Earns at least $844/week ($43,888/yr federal minimum) or state higher threshold (e.g. CA $66,560/yr). Primary duty involves managing business operations, directing 2+ staff, or exercising independent judgment. Receives a predetermined, non-deductible salary regardless of quality or quantity of weekly work. ### Managing payroll or shift workers in Kentucky? ### Embed This Kentucky Calculator on Your Website HR blogs, news portals, and labor websites can embed this interactive 2026 Kentucky wage tool for free using the code snippet below: ### Managing payroll or shift workers in KENTUCKY? ### Official DOL Resource Verify state overtime rules and minimum wage statutes directly with official state resources. ### Statutory Compliance Internal Mesh #### Kentucky Statutory Guides - [Kentucky Payday Laws →](https://statepayrules.com/payday-laws/kentucky) - [Kentucky Meal & Rest Breaks →](https://statepayrules.com/break-laws/kentucky) - [Kentucky Salaried Exempt Rules →](https://statepayrules.com/salaried-exempt/kentucky) - [Kentucky Payroll Tax Rates →](https://statepayrules.com/payroll-taxes/kentucky) #### Compare Kentucky Pay Rules - [Kentucky vs Ohio →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/compare/kentucky-vs-ohio) - [Kentucky vs Indiana →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/compare/kentucky-vs-indiana) - [Kentucky vs Tennessee →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/compare/kentucky-vs-tennessee) #### Kentucky Profession Tools - [Kentucky Registered Nurse →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/registered-nurse) - [Kentucky Fast Food & Counter Worker →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/fast-food-worker) - [Kentucky Construction Laborer →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/construction-laborer) - [Kentucky Electrician →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/electrician) #### Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wages - [LA County Prevailing Wage →](https://statepayrules.com/prevailing-wage/california/los-angeles-county) - [Harris County TX Wage →](https://statepayrules.com/prevailing-wage/texas/harris-county) - [Cook County IL Wage →](https://statepayrules.com/prevailing-wage/illinois/cook-county) ## Structured FAQ Summary (Schema.org Grounded) - **What is the minimum wage in Kentucky for 2026?** The 2026 statutory minimum wage in Kentucky is $7.25 per hour under KRS 337.275. - **Does Kentucky require daily overtime pay?** Kentucky does not require daily overtime. Overtime is calculated weekly for hours exceeding 40 hours under FLSA 29 U.S.C. § 207. - **Are employers in Kentucky allowed to take a tip credit?** Yes, Kentucky allows employers to take a maximum tip credit of $5.12/hr against tipped workers, requiring a minimum direct cash wage of $7.25/hr. --- ## 🏛️ AI Ingestion & Edge Optimization Provenance This sovereign authority subpage is compiled and delivered across 330+ Cloudflare Anycast edge locations by [AnswerRail](https://answerrail.com) for [https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/kentucky/).