Ky. extends unemployment benefits to thousands who lost jobs because of coronavirus
Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that the state has opened up access to unemployment insurance to the tens of thousands of Kentuckians who are self-employed or work as independent contractors and would otherwise be ineligible to receive benefits.
That includes thousands of cosmetologists, barbers, hair stylists, personal trainers and others who are not technically employees of any business, and thus don’t contribute to or receive benefits from the joint state-federal unemployment insurance system.
Many of those workers have been barred from their jobs by Kentucky’s effort to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.
“We’re very glad, this takes a lot of worry off the mind right now,” said Alicia Hardwick, a hair stylist in Pikeville. “That’s amazing that they did this this quick and pushed that hard for it.”
Beshear said other groups who were otherwise ineligible — child-care workers from churches, substitute teachers, gig economy workers and “anyone who has had to leave their job because of quarantine or unpaid leave” — now qualify for unemployment.
“This means that so many of you out there who were worried are now able to file, and we want you to,” Beshear said.
People who have already filed do not need to re-apply, he said.
The government is urging all new applicants to follow a schedule released by the administration last week.
The updated schedule directs people to only apply for unemployment benefits on certain days next week, based on the first initial of a their last name: Sunday, A-D; Monday, E-H; Tuesday, I-L; Wednesday, M-P; Thursday, Q-U; Friday, V-Z.
People who are just now eligible and already missed their day should file Thursday by calling 502-875-0442 or visiting the Kentucky Career’s Center unemployment benefits page at https://kcc.ky.gov/career.
People with questions about their claim can also call their local office.
Further changes to unemployment insurance could come with the federal stimulus package that is being debated by the U.S. Senate. Those proposed changes could include extending the amount of time that people can receive benefits, and a $600 increase in the maximum that a beneficiary could receive.
As of Wednesday evening, however, some Republican legislators, including Sen. Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, issued new challenges to the stimulus package because of the $600 increase to unemployment, USA Today reported.
Beshear said he hoped to have more information on the stimulus package Thursday.
This story was originally published March 25, 2020 at 6:15 PM.