Law Currently in Effect

Under a new law in Kentucky, union dues or fees paid by labor organization members cannot be withheld from earnings without a written or electronic authorization from the employee members or non-members.

Deductions from Wages
Under the new law, a sum may not be withheld from the earnings of any employee for the purpose of paying union dues or other fees paid by members of a labor organization or by employees who are non-members, except upon the written or electronic authorization of the employee member or employee non-member. Signing or refraining from signing such authorization may not be made a condition of obtaining or maintaining employment.

These requirements (among certain others) cannot be waived by any member or non-member of a labor organization, nor required to be waived as a condition of obtaining or maintaining employment.

As such, a collective bargaining agreement entered into, opted in, renewed, or extended on or after January 9, 2017 must not contain provisions authorizing or requiring the deduction of any portion of an employee's wages without the written consent of the employee.

The law does not apply to any agreement between employers and employees or labor organizations entered into before January 9, 2017, but any such agreement entered into, opted in, renewed, or extended on or after January 9, 2017 and which violates the law will be unlawful and void. The law sets forth additional requirements relating to labor organizations.

Click here to read the text of the law.

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