TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Round $4.5 million is headed to the Sunflower State to enhance the state’s unemployment insurance coverage system.

U.S. Consultant Sharice Davids (D-KS) says the U.S. Division of Labor has awarded greater than $4.5 million to the Kansas Division of Labor in an effort to enhance unemployment insurance coverage advantages.

In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, Congresswoman Davids mentioned Kansans who utilized for such advantages had been met with giant delays on account of outdated tech. The funds had been offered by way of the American Rescue Plan Act.

“Underneath the earlier Kansas administration, our state’s unemployment insurance coverage programs had been uncared for for almost a decade – forcing our state to depend on outdated know-how throughout the worst well being and financial disaster of our lifetimes,” Davids mentioned. “A yr and a half later, the American Rescue Plan continues to offer sturdy, focused, and efficient aid to hardworking Kansans. I’m proud to have supported the invoice and can proceed working to make sure Kansans’ wants are met and prices are lowered.”

In the course of the pandemic, Rep. Davids mentioned her workplace helped greater than 1,000 residents get related with KDOL after they skilled giant delays in receiving their unemployment advantages. To repair this, together with voting for ARPA, she mentioned she additionally supported a invoice that might put money into the know-how wanted to modernize the unemployment insurance coverage system.

Earlier in 2022, Davids additionally mentioned she formally kicked off a $48 million, 26-month-long effort to modernize Kansas’ UI system because of ARPA funds. She mentioned the state’s present mainframe used to course of advantages was created within the Seventies and the final push to modernize got here underneath Governor Kathleen Sebelius in 2005 however was deserted by the Brownback administration in 2011.

Davids famous that this resolution immediately led to the inefficiencies and vulnerabilities which occurred inside the state’s unemployment system throughout the pandemic.

The Congresswoman indicated that the brand new funds will assist tasks meant to increase outreach, promote consciousness, enhance know-how, streamline directions, present translation providers, improve staffing and deal with different accessibility points in marginalized communities.

Davids mentioned that the grant will enable the Sunflower State to implement tasks to hunt to make sure systematic limitations don’t stop these in want from accessing advantages. In whole, she mentioned $18.2 million was introduced to boost unemployment programs in Kansas, Illinois and Ohio.

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