Kansas Workplace Harassment Laws: 4-Employee Rule, 6-Month Deadline

Kansas reaches workplace harassment through the Kansas Act Against Discrimination (KAAD), which makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discriminate against a person "in compensation or in terms, conditions or privileges of employment" because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry (K.S.A. 44-1009(a)(1)). The act has no clause that uses the word harassment, and it covers employers of four or more persons in Kansas (K.S.A. 44-1002(b)).

A complaint goes to the Kansas Human Rights Commission (KHRC) within six months of the alleged act, or of the last act in a continuing pattern or practice (K.S.A. 44-1005(i)). Age has its own statute, the Kansas Age Discrimination in Employment Act. For other states and the federal rules, see workplace harassment laws by state.

Information last verified on 2026-10-20. This article has not been reviewed by a licensed lawyer.

Jurisdiction scope: This article covers Kansas state law on workplace harassment by employers, supervisors and coworkers under the Kansas Act Against Discrimination (chiefly K.S.A. 44-1002, 44-1005 and 44-1009) and the Kansas Age Discrimination in Employment Act (K.S.A. 44-1112, 44-1113 and 44-1115), with notes on K.S.A. 44-706, 75-2949f and 77-207. It does not cover wrongful firing or the full complaint and lawsuit procedure (see Kansas wrongful termination), damages estimates, criminal harassment or stalking, harassment outside employment, local ordinances, or federal-employee procedure.

Kansas harassment rules at a glance

What Kansas law prohibits

Section 44-1009(a)(1) sets out the core employment rule:

"(a) It shall be an unlawful employment practice: (1) For an employer, because of the race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry of any person to refuse to hire or employ such person to bar or discharge such person from employment or to otherwise discriminate against such person in compensation or in terms, conditions or privileges of employment; to limit, segregate, separate, classify or make any distinction in regards to employees; or to follow any employment procedure or practice which, in fact, results in discrimination, segregation or separation without a valid business necessity." (K.S.A. 44-1009(a)(1))

Sections 44-1002, 44-1005 and 44-1009 do not use the word harassment, and they set no separate harassment threshold, deadline or severity standard. A harassment claim on a protected trait rests on the "terms, conditions or privileges of employment" language. The KHRC's complaint page describes who may file: a person who "can articulate a prima facie case pursuant to a recognized legal theory of discrimination." How Kansas courts measure whether harassment is serious enough is a matter of case law that this page does not summarize.

Which Kansas employers are covered

Section 44-1002(b) defines employer for every KAAD employment claim, harassment included:

"(b) 'Employer' includes any person in this state employing four or more persons and any person acting directly or indirectly for an employer, labor organizations, nonsectarian corporations, organizations engaged in social service work and the state of Kansas and all political and municipal subdivisions thereof, but shall not include a nonprofit fraternal or social association or corporation." (K.S.A. 44-1002(b))

Section 44-1002(c) adds that "'Employee' does not include any individual employed by such individual's parents, spouse or child or in the domestic service of any person."

The federal Title VII definition of employer is "a person engaged in an industry affecting commerce who has fifteen or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year" (42 U.S.C. § 2000e(b)). A Kansas employer with four to 14 employees can fall under the KAAD but not under Title VII; the workplace harassment laws hub covers the federal layer.

Protected traits under Kansas law

The KAAD protects against discrimination because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry (K.S.A. 44-1009(a)(1)). Two more rules fill out the list:

• Disability: "'Disability' means, with respect to an individual: (1) A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; (2) a record of such an impairment; or (3) being regarded as having such an impairment" (K.S.A. 44-1002(j)). In employment, disability "does not include an individual who is currently engaging in the illegal use of drugs" where possession or distribution of those drugs is unlawful under federal law, "when the covered entity acts on the basis of such use" (44-1002(j)). The "regarded as" prong "shall not apply to impairments that are transitory or minor," a transitory impairment being one "with an actual or expected duration of six months or less" (44-1002(l)), and a reasonable accommodation need not be provided to an individual who meets the "regarded as" definition (44-1002(k)(2)).
• Genetic screening: it is an unlawful employment practice for an employer to "(A) Seek to obtain, to obtain or to use genetic screening or testing information of an employee or a prospective employee to distinguish between or discriminate against or restrict any right or benefit otherwise due or available to an employee or a prospective employee; or (B) subject, directly or indirectly, any employee or prospective employee to any genetic screening or test" (K.S.A. 44-1009(a)(9)).

Age is under a separate act. The Kansas Age Discrimination in Employment Act defines age as "an age of 40 or more years" (K.S.A. 44-1112(a)) and defines employer as "any person in this state who employs four or more persons and any person acting directly or indirectly for such a person," including "the state and all political subdivisions of the state" (44-1112(d)). It makes it unlawful for an employer, because of age, "to otherwise discriminate against the person in compensation or in terms, conditions or privileges of employment" (44-1113(a)(1)), and a person aggrieved by an age-based practice "may file a complaint in the manner provided for processing complaints of unlawful employment practices under the Kansas act against discrimination" (44-1115).

The KAAD's list does not name sexual orientation, gender identity or hair texture, and the act contains no pregnancy-accommodation provision. The Kansas Human Rights Commission's sex-discrimination guidelines provide that "[a] written or unwritten employment policy or practice which excludes from employment applicants or employees because of pregnancy is prima facie discrimination," and that disabilities caused or contributed to by pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, childbirth and recovery "are for all job related purposes, temporary disabilities and should be treated as such under any health or temporary disability insurance or sick leave plan available in connection with employment" (K.A.R. 21-32-6(a), (b)).

Sex, sexual orientation and gender identity

On August 21, 2020, the KHRC announced: "Effective today, the Kansas Human Rights Commission will begin accepting complaints of 'sex' discrimination in employment, housing, and public accommodations wherein allegations include discrimination based on LGBTQ and all derivates of 'sex'." That is agency practice, not statutory text.

A later statute uses a different definition. K.S.A. 77-207(a)(1), enacted in 2023, provides that "[a]n individual's 'sex' means such individual's biological sex, either male or female, at birth." In 2026 the Legislature enacted House Substitute for SB 244 over the Governor's February 13, 2026 veto; it took effect on publication in the Kansas Register and amended 77-207(a)(1) to read: "An individual's 'sex' or 'gender' means such individual's biological sex, either male or female, at birth." Both postdate the commission's 2020 statement. Federal law applies separately; the workplace harassment laws hub covers it.

Employer responsibility and the individual harasser

The KAAD does not set out when an employer answers for harassment by a supervisor as opposed to a coworker.

Two parts of the act reach beyond the employing business itself. The definition of employer in 44-1002(b) includes "any person acting directly or indirectly for an employer," and 44-1009(a)(7) makes it unlawful:

"(7) For any person, whether an employer or an employee or not, to aid, abet, incite, compel or coerce the doing of any of the acts forbidden under this act, or attempt to do so." (K.S.A. 44-1009(a)(7))

Whether a Kansas court allows a damages claim against an individual supervisor or coworker under that language is a question of case law that this page does not resolve.

Retaliation for complaining

Section 44-1009(a)(4) makes it an unlawful employment practice "[f]or any employer, employment agency or labor organization to discharge, expel or otherwise discriminate against any person because such person has opposed any practices or acts forbidden under this act or because such person has filed a complaint, testified or assisted in any proceeding under this act." Firings after a complaint, and how they fit with Kansas's default employment rule, are covered on the Kansas at-will employment page.

Deadlines and where to file

The Kansas Human Rights Commission takes complaints under the KAAD and, through 44-1115, under the age act. The KHRC's complaint page lists the bases it accepts in employment: "race, religion, color, sex, disability, ancestry, national origin, age in the area of employment only, ... and retaliation."

• Complaint deadline: "Any complaint filed pursuant to this act must be so filed within six months after the alleged act of discrimination, unless the act complained of constitutes a continuing pattern or practice of discrimination in which event it will be from the last act of discrimination" (K.S.A. 44-1005(i)). The deadline is six calendar months, not 180 days.
• 300-day dismissal and exhaustion: if the commission has not issued a probable cause or no probable cause finding or taken other dismissing action within 300 days of filing, it may dismiss the complaint on its own initiative and "shall be dismissed by the commission upon the written request of the complainant." That dismissal "shall constitute final action by the commission which shall be deemed to exhaust all administrative remedies under the Kansas act against discrimination for the purpose of allowing subsequent filing of the matter in court by the complainant, without the requirement of filing a petition for reconsideration pursuant to K.S.A. 44-1010" (44-1005(i)).
• Federal charge: the KHRC's FAQ states: "Occasionally, employment complaints will fall outside the six-month time limitation set by the State of Kansas, but are within the 300-day limitation set by the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). When that happens, the KHRC will assist the individual in completing the complaint forms and forward them onto the EEOC for investigation and determination." The EEOC adds that in harassment cases the charge is due "within 180 or 300 days of the last incident of harassment."

Section 44-1005 does not itself state a deadline for the later court action. The court procedure, remedies and damages limits are on the Kansas wrongful termination page, and the Kansas employment discrimination settlement calculator is an estimating tool, not a prediction of any outcome.

Training and written policies

The KAAD and the age act contain no requirement that private employers provide harassment training, adopt a written harassment policy or post a harassment notice.

The KHRC's home page offers "Free Online Harassment Prevention Training, including Sexual Harassment Prevention. Includes a Certificate of Completion." It is a voluntary resource, not a legal mandate.

For permanent state employees, Kansas civil service law lists "sexual harassment arising out of or in connection with employment" among the grounds for dismissal, demotion or suspension for personal conduct detrimental to the state service (K.S.A. 75-2949f(s)). That rule applies to state employment only.

NDAs, confidentiality and arbitration

The KAAD contains no provision limiting nondisclosure, confidentiality or arbitration terms in harassment agreements or settlements. Federal law adds limits for sexual harassment disputes: the Speak Out Act makes a nondisclosure or nondisparagement clause agreed to before a sexual harassment dispute arises judicially unenforceable where the conduct is alleged to violate federal, tribal or state law, and the Ending Forced Arbitration Act lets the person alleging sexual harassment elect court over a predispute arbitration agreement, both explained on the workplace harassment laws hub.

Quitting because of harassment: unemployment benefits

Kansas unemployment law lists, among the exceptions to disqualification for leaving work voluntarily, that "the individual left work because of unwelcome harassment of the individual by the employer or another employee of which the employing unit had knowledge and that would impel the average worker to give up such worker's employment" (K.S.A. 44-706(a)(7)). The clause concerns benefit eligibility; it is not a harassment claim against the employer.

Is workplace bullying illegal in Kansas?

The KAAD reaches discrimination because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry, and the age act reaches age. Neither contains a provision on general workplace bullying that is not tied to one of those traits.

Documenting harassment and workplace monitoring

The rules on recording a conversation at work, including a conversation with a harasser, are on the Kansas workplace recording laws page. Employer monitoring of email, devices and workspaces is covered on the Kansas employee monitoring laws page.

Recent changes

• 2020: The KHRC announced on August 21, 2020 that it would accept sex discrimination complaints that include LGBTQ allegations.
• 2023: K.S.A. 77-207 (L. 2023, ch. 84) defined an individual's sex as biological sex, either male or female, at birth.
• 2026: House Substitute for SB 244, enacted over the Governor's veto and effective on publication in the Kansas Register, amended 77-207 so that "sex" and "gender" both mean biological sex at birth.

Related pages

• Workplace harassment laws by state
• Kansas wrongful termination
• Kansas at-will employment laws
• Kansas employee monitoring laws
• Kansas workplace recording laws

This article provides general legal information about Kansas workplace harassment law under the Kansas Act Against Discrimination and the Kansas Age Discrimination in Employment Act as of 2026-10-20. It is not legal advice. For advice about a specific situation, contact a lawyer licensed in Kansas or the Kansas Human Rights Commission.

Last updated: 2026-10-20.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is workplace harassment illegal in Kansas?

The Kansas Act Against Discrimination makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer to discriminate in terms, conditions or privileges of employment because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry (K.S.A. 44-1009(a)(1)). The act has no separate harassment clause; age is covered by the Kansas Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

How many employees does a Kansas employer need to be covered?

Four or more persons in Kansas (K.S.A. 44-1002(b); for age, 44-1112(d)). The KAAD's definition of employer also includes any person acting directly or indirectly for an employer, and the state and its political and municipal subdivisions; nonprofit fraternal or social associations or corporations are excluded.

How long do I have to file a harassment complaint in Kansas?

A complaint to the Kansas Human Rights Commission must be filed within six months after the alleged act of discrimination, or from the last act if the conduct is a continuing pattern or practice (K.S.A. 44-1005(i)). The KHRC forwards employment complaints that miss the six-month limit but fall within the EEOC's 300-day limit to the EEOC.

What happens if the KHRC does not resolve a harassment complaint in Kansas?

If the commission has not issued a probable cause or no probable cause finding or otherwise dismissed the complaint within 300 days of filing, it may dismiss the complaint, and must do so on the complainant's written request. K.S.A. 44-1005(i) treats that dismissal as final action that exhausts all administrative remedies under the act for the purpose of a later court filing. The court procedure is covered on the Kansas wrongful termination page.

Does Kansas protect LGBTQ employees from harassment?

The KAAD's list does not name sexual orientation or gender identity. In an August 21, 2020 statement, the KHRC said it would accept sex discrimination complaints that include LGBTQ allegations; K.S.A. 77-207(a)(1), enacted in 2023 and amended in 2026, defines sex and gender as biological sex at birth.

Does Kansas require harassment training for employers?

The KAAD contains no training, written-policy or posting requirement for private employers. The Kansas Human Rights Commission offers free online harassment prevention training, including sexual harassment prevention, with a certificate of completion.

Is it illegal to retaliate against an employee for reporting harassment in Kansas?

Yes. K.S.A. 44-1009(a)(4) makes it an unlawful employment practice for an employer, employment agency or labor organization to discharge, expel or otherwise discriminate against a person who opposed practices forbidden by the act or filed a complaint, testified or assisted in a proceeding under it.

Is workplace bullying illegal in Kansas?

The KAAD reaches discrimination because of the traits it lists. It contains no provision on general workplace bullying unconnected to race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry.