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Kansas

These resources – like the public health crisis itself – are constantly evolving and are only current as to the date of publication. This page was last updated on September 1, 2020.

For more up-to-date information on the relief programs available in Kansas, we recommend that you visit the state's COVID-19 Response and Recovery website, the Department of Health and Environment's Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response portal, the Kansas Chamber of Commerce or the Kansas Health Foundation.

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Description of Program and Relief

Shared Work Program for Employers

Shared Work is an alternative for employers faced with a reduction in workforce and allows an employer to divide the available work or hours of work among a specified group of affected employees in lieu of a layoff. Shared Work allows the employees to receive a portion of their unemployment insurance benefits while working reduced hours.

The Governor issued an order which provides temporary relief from certain restrictions concerning shared work programs, expanding flexibility for Kansas employers so that they can take advantage of existing federal programs. The order waives a provision in the law that prohibited a contributing negative account employer (i.e. an employer that has paid more in unemployment benefits to its employees than it has contributed to its unemployment insurance account with the state) to participate in a shared work plan. Under the federal “CARES” Act, the federal government will reimburse 100% of any state unemployment insurance benefits paid through a “short-time” or “shared work” unemployment program, through the end of 2020.

Government or Lead Agency

Kansas Governor’s Office and Kansas Department of Labor

Dates Available

Available now. The order is effective immediately until September 15, 2020 or until the statewide State of Disaster Emergency relating to COVID-19 expires, whichever is earlier

Eligibility Requirements/Restrictions

Click here for eligibility requirements.

To participate, an employer must have reduced the normal weekly work hours for an employee in the affected unit by at least 20 percent (but no more than 40 percent) and the plan must apply to at least 10 percent of the employees in the affected unit who meet the monetary requirements for regular unemployment compensation.

Application Deadlines (If Applicable)

N/A

Contact for More Information

For more information, call the Kansas Department of Labor at (785) 291-6132.

List of Additional Information

Additional information and a link to the application can be found here.

Frequently asked questions can be found here.

The original order providing temporary relief from certain restrictions can be found here, the first extension of the original order can be found here., and the second extension of the original order can be found here.

The press relief for the original order can be found here and for the second extension can be found here.


© 2021 Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. This does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. In some jurisdictions, this publication may be considered attorney advertising. Past representations are no guarantee of future outcomes.

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