Kentucky reasonable‑accommodation requirements

Coverage & definitions

The Kentucky Civil Rights Act (KRS Chapter 344) uses different headcount thresholds for different claims: eight or more employees for most protected traits, but 15 or more — the same as the federal ADA — for disability discrimination and for pregnancy accommodation. “Disability” mirrors the ADA definition; “reasonable accommodation” and “qualified individual” are used the same way.

Since June 27, 2019, the Kentucky Pregnant Workers Act (2019 SB 18, codified in KRS 344) has required accommodation of limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, including lactation.

Reasonable‑accommodation duties

Employers must provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees and applicants with disabilities unless doing so would cause undue hardship. Examples include modified schedules, job restructuring, accessible facilities, assistive technology, and adjusted training materials.

For pregnancy, the statute lists accommodations including:

• More frequent or longer breaks.
• Time off to recover from childbirth.
• Acquisition or modification of equipment.
• Appropriate seating.
• Temporary transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position.
• Job restructuring.
• Light duty.
• Modified work schedule.
• A private space other than a bathroom for expressing breast milk.

An employer may not require an employee to take leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided, may not deny employment opportunities because of the need for one, and may not retaliate for requesting one. The statute creates a rebuttable presumption that an accommodation is not an undue hardship if the employer already provides it to other employees.

Notice, documentation & the interactive process

Kentucky imposes an affirmative notice duty: employers must post a notice of pregnancy-accommodation rights in a conspicuous place, and must provide written notice to all employees. Employers were required to give existing employees notice by the 2019 effective date and to give it to new employees at hire. The Commission on Human Rights publishes the required notice.

The statute expressly requires a timely, good-faith interactive process for pregnancy accommodations. Employers may request medical documentation limited to substantiating the need for an accommodation; information must be kept confidential. There is no fixed statutory response deadline, but a response within about 10 business days is the common benchmark.

Enforcement & penalties

Charges are filed with the Kentucky Commission on Human Rights within 180 days. The Commission investigates and may conciliate or hold a hearing; a civil action is also available. Remedies include back pay, reinstatement, compensatory damages, orders to provide the denied accommodation, and attorney fees. Failing to give the required pregnancy notice is itself a violation.

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Practical tips for employers

• Track two thresholds: eight for most claims, 15 for disability and pregnancy accommodation.
• Post the pregnancy-rights notice and put it in your onboarding packet.
• If you already give an accommodation to any employee, assume it is not an undue hardship for a pregnant one.
• Never push an employee onto leave when another accommodation would work.
• Note the 180-day filing window, which is shorter than in most states.

This guide is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Employment laws change frequently and vary by jurisdiction. Consult qualified employment counsel before acting on any information here. Last reviewed: September 2026.