- The state of Kentucky requires that employers carry worker's compensation insurance for all employees or be self-ensured, according to the Kentucky Labor Cabinet Workers' Compensation Board. All employers must post a worker's compensation notice so that it is conspicuously viewable by all employees. The notice must state the insurance carrier's name and policy number, as well as provide information about what steps an employee should take if she gets injured.
- Nearly anyone who works in Kentucky is covered by the state's worker's compensation protections, including part-time employees or workers who engage in seasonal employment. However, there are some exceptions to the coverage rules. Farm workers, domestic household servants in houses with fewer than two full-time employees and people who are hired to perform residential maintenance or repairs for 20 or fewer consecutive workdays are not covered under the workman's compensation requirements.
- Kentucky's worker's compensation law is an "exclusive remedy." This means that anyone injured while on the job can only be compensated through worker's compensation coverage. Workers effectively give up their right to sue the employer for civil damages under the compensation program. The program allows workers and employers to negotiate settlement terms, as well as provides an avenue where parties who are unable to settle a claim can litigate the issue before a judge, as well as appeal court decisions to a review board.
- Kentucky worker's compensation can take many forms. In addition to providing injured workers with wage replacement payments, a worker can also receive medical coverage as well as assistance with finding new employment if the injury leaves the worker unable to perform prior duties. If medical treatment is required, the injured worker can receive temporary income during recuperation and receive all medical treatment without making a co-payment.