Chapter 44, LABOR AND INDUSTRIES

44-616. Business operations; limitation or cessation, hearings; changing conditions. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation engaged in the operation of any such industry, employment, utility, or common carrier willfully to limit or cease operations for the purp…

44-617. Violations of act; quitting employment; picketing; intimidation. It shall be unlawful for any person, firm or corporation, or for any association of persons, to do or perform any act forbidden, or to fail or refuse to perform any act or duty enjoined by the provisions of …

44-618. Penalties for violating K.S.A. 44-601 through 44-628. Any person willfully violating the provisions of this act, or any valid order of the secretary of labor, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof in any court of competent jurisdiction of th…

44-619. Inducing violation of act or orders; penalty. Any officer of any corporation engaged in any of the industries, employments, utilities or common carriers herein named and specified, or any officer of any labor union or association of persons engaged as workers in any such …

44-620. Emergency control and operation. In case of the suspension, limitation or cessation of the operation of any of the industries, employments, public utilities or common carriers affected by this act, contrary to the provisions hereof, or to the orders of the secretary of la…

44-621. Controversies between employer and employee; authority of secretary. When any controversy shall arise between employer and employee as to wages, hours of employment, or working or living conditions, in any industry not hereinbefore specified, the parties to such controver…

44-622. Evidence taking; examiner, appointment, qualifications, authority. The secretary of labor may appoint a person, or persons, having a technical knowledge of bookkeeping, engineering, or other technical subjects involved in any inquiry in which the secretary of labor is eng…

44-623. Orders as to minimum or standard wage; accounts pending investigations. Any order made by the secretary of labor as to a minimum wage or a standard of wages shall be deemed prima facie reasonable and just, and if the minimum wage or standard of wages shall be in excess of…

44-624. Industrial conditions and relations; investigations, inquiries. With the consent of the governor, the secretary of labor is hereby authorized and empowered to make, or cause to be made, within this state or elsewhere, such investigations and inquiries as to industrial con…

44-625. Effect of act on other rights and remedies. The rights and remedies given and provided by this act shall be construed to be cumulative of all other laws in force in said state relating to the same matters, and this act shall not be interpreted as a repeal of any other act…

44-626. Construction of K.S.A. 44-601 through 44-628. The provisions of this act and all grants of power, authority and jurisdiction herein made to the secretary of labor shall be liberally construed and all incidental powers necessary to carry into effect the provisions of this …

44-628. Partial invalidity of act. If any section or provision of this act shall be found invalid by any court, it shall be conclusively presumed that this act would have been passed by the legislature without such invalid section or provision, and the act as a whole shall not be…

44-631. Factory, mill and mine inspection. The secretary of labor is hereby given full jurisdiction over and control of factory, workshop and mill inspection, and mine inspection. History: R.S. 1923, 44-631; L. 1976, ch. 370, § 43; L. 2004, ch. 179, § 42; July 1. Source or prior …

44-634. Annual reports; duties as to labor and industrial pursuits; enforcement of laws. It shall be the duty of the secretary of labor to collect, assort, arrange and present in annual reports to the governor, to be transmitted biennially by the governor to the legislature, stat…

44-635. Interrogatories and testimony; penalty for failure to testify; information deemed confidential; penalty for disclosing. The secretary of labor is hereby authorized to furnish and deliver a written or printed list of interrogatories to any person, company, or the proper of…

44-636. Places of business; inspection; safety and protection of employees; orders; notice and hearing; penalty. (a) The secretary of labor shall have power to enter any factory or mill, workshop, private works, public works or state agency or institution, mercantile establishmen…

44-637. Definitions. As used in this act: (a) "Person" means an individual, corporation, partnership, company, agency, institution or association. (b) "Children" means minor persons under the age of fourteen (14) years. (c) "Minor" means a person under the age of eighteen (18) ye…

44-638. Statistics and information by state and municipal officers. All state, county, township and city officers are hereby directed to furnish the secretary of labor, upon request, such statistical or other information necessary for the administration of this act. History: L. 1…

44-639. State policy as to wages, hours and insanitary conditions. The state of Kansas exercising herewith its police and sovereign powers declares that inadequate wages, long continued hours and insanitary conditions of labor, exercise a pernicious effect on the health and welfa…

44-640. Conditions of employment detrimental to health and welfare unlawful. It shall be unlawful to employ learners, apprentices and minors in any industry or occupation within the state of Kansas under conditions of labor detrimental to their health or welfare and it shall be u…

44-643. Wages, hours and conditions for learners, apprentices and minors. The secretary of labor may establish such standard of wages, hours, and conditions of labor for learners and apprentices, and minors employed within this state as shall be held hereunder to be reasonable an…

44-645. Same; investigation; orders; notice and hearing; employer to display order; petition for rehearing. If after investigation the secretary of labor is of the opinion that in any occupation the wages, hours and conditions, sanitary and otherwise, are prejudicial to the healt…

44-646. Same; inspectors and clerical personnel. The secretary of labor may employ such inspectors and clerical personnel as may be necessary to administer the provisions of this act. History: L. 1921, ch. 263, § 6; R.S. 1923, 44-646; L. 1976, ch. 370, § 53; L. 2004, ch. 179, § 4…

44-647. Same; review of orders. The orders of the secretary of labor under the provisions of this act may be reviewed in the same manner as is now provided for the review of decisions by K.S.A. 44-601 to 44-628, and amendments thereto. History: L. 1921, ch. 263, § 7; R.S. 1923, 4…

44-648. Same; penalties. That a violation of any provision of this act shall constitute a misdemeanor, and any one convicted thereof shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars $25, nor more than one hundred dollars $100 for each such misdemeanor. History: L.…

44-650. Same; act supplemental. This act is to be construed as supplemental to existing laws regulating the employment of learners and apprentices and minors. History: L. 1915, ch. 275, § 21; R.S. 1923, 44-650; L. 1976, ch. 370, § 55; July 1.

44-661. Kansas apprenticeship council; establishment; composition; qualifications; terms; quorum; vacancies; organization; officers; meetings; expenses; clerical, secretarial and staff assistance. (a) There is hereby established the Kansas apprenticeship council within the depart…

44-662. Powers, duties and functions. The Kansas apprenticeship council shall perform the following powers, duties and functions: (a) Assist in the development of and recommend to the secretary of labor, standards of wages, hours and conditions of employment for learners and appr…

44-663. Employer COVID-19 vaccine requirements; exemptions required for certain employees; waiver requests; complaint and investigation process for violations to be administered by secretary of labor; enforcement actions by the attorney general; civil penalties to be imposed by t…

44-664. Certification by attorney general of final court order holding K.S.A. 44-663 unconstitutional; notice of such certification upon publication by secretary of state; repeal of K.S.A. 44-709b upon publication of such notice; severability of certain provisions. (a) In the eve…

44-701. Short title. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "employment security law." History: L. 1937, ch. 255, § 1; L. 1949, ch. 288, § 1; March 5. Law Review and Bar Journal References: Survey of constitutional and administrative law, Glenn E. Opie, 12 K.L.R. 166 (19…

44-702. Declaration of state public policy. As a guide to the interpretation and application of this act, the public policy of this state is declared to be as follows: Economic insecurity, due to unemployment, is a serious menace to health, morals, and welfare of the people of th…

44-703. Definitions. As used in this act, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (a) (1) "Annual payroll" means the total amount of wages paid or payable by an employer during the calendar year. (2) "Average annual payroll" means the average of the annual payrolls of any …

44-704. Benefits; limitations on; notification of claimant's employment to secretary for children and families. (a) Payment of benefits. All benefits provided herein shall be payable from the fund. All benefits shall be paid through the secretary of labor, in accordance with such…

44-704a. Extended benefits. (a) Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise: (1) "Extended benefit period" means a period which: (A) Begins with the third week after a week for which there is an "on" indicator; and (B) ends with either of t…

44-704b. Same; disqualification conditions; suitable work defined. (a) Cessation of extended benefits when paid under an interstate claim in a state where an extended benefit period is not in effect: (1) Except as provided in subsection (a)(2), an individual shall not be eligible…

44-705. Benefit eligibility conditions; procedure regarding refusals of suitable work; notice to claimant; audit process for employer reports of claimant work search and my reemployment plan compliance; notice of such, reporting options. Except as provided by K.S.A. 44-757, and a…

44-706. Disqualification for benefits, exceptions; examination by secretary; approval of substance abuse program; approval of job skills program. The secretary shall examine whether an individual has separated from employment for each week claimed. The secretary shall apply the p…

44-706a. Application of K.S.A. 44-705, 44-706. This act shall only apply to claims filed after April 30, 1961. All claims filed prior to May 1, 1961, shall be governed by the law in effect immediately prior to the effective date of this act. History: L. 1961, ch. 245, § 3; May 1.

44-709. Claims for benefits; filing; determination of; appeals; appointment of referees; time computation; board of review, membership, qualifications and application process, compensation and duties; procedure; witness fees; judicial review; admissibility and effect of administr…

44-709b. Exceptions to eligibility conditions and disqualification conditions in employment security law; retroactive payment of benefits; duties of secretary of labor; appeal of award or denial of benefits; repayment or benefit offset. (a) An individual aggrieved by a violation …

44-710. Employer contributions, payment; rates; charging of benefit payments; employers held harmless for fraud; time computation; pooled fund; reimbursing employers, reports and payments, benefit costs, allocation, group accounts. (a) Payment. Contributions shall accrue and beco…

44-710a. Employer contributions; classification of employers; establishment and assignment of annual rates; successor classifications; debt relief for negative rated remployers; publication of contribution amount tables and effective contribution schedules; voluntary contribution…

44-710b. Rate of contributions, benefit cost rate and benefit liability, notification; review and redetermination; judicial review; periodic notification of benefits charged; federal employers held harmless for fraud; improper payments information review; cessation of federal COV…

44-710d. Governmental entities; election, mode of payment; rated governmental employer; rate computation; notice. (a) Governmental entities described in subsection (h)(3) of K.S.A. 44-703 and amendments thereto may elect to finance benefit payments as (1) a contributing employer,…

44-710e. Governmental entities; tax levy, use of proceeds; employee benefits contribution fund. Any city, county, school district or other governmental entity is hereby authorized to budget and pay the cost of providing unemployment insurance benefits for its employees as provide…

44-710f. Counties to provide coverage for certain district court employees. Any county plan pursuant to the employment security law shall include coverage for district court officers and employees whose total salary is payable by counties. History: L. 1977, ch. 110, § 7; July 1.

44-710i. Common paymaster; wages actually disbursed by employer. For all purposes under the employment security law, whenever two or more employers which are related corporations, which concurrently employ the same individual in employment and which pay wages to such individual t…

44-711. Period of liability for contributions; election and termination of employer coverage; exceptions; document copies, fees. (a) Period of liability for contributions. Any employing unit which is or becomes an employer subject to this act within any calendar year shall be sub…

44-712. Employment security fund; loans from pooled money investment board, when. (a) Establishment and control. There is hereby established as a special fund in the state treasury, separate and apart from all public moneys or funds of this state, an employment security fund, whi…