On January 9, 2017, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin signed into law
a bill that made Kentucky a right-to-work state. The law took
effect immediately. Employers in the state should familiarize
themselves with this significant new development, as it could have
an impact on your workplace.
What Does Right-To-Work Mean?
Right-to-work laws generally make it unlawful to require a
person to be or become a union member, or to pay union dues, as a
condition of initial or continued employment. The name comes from
the idea that people should be allowed to work without having to
financially support organizations or causes that they do not
morally support.
Union advocates make the counterargument that employees who work
in unionized workplaces should have to share the cost of union
representation. It is important to note that right-to-work laws do
not prevent people from joining or supporting unions, they just
prohibit requiring them to do so.
