December 30, 2020
Important Message for Bank of America Benefit Debit Card Holders. An email message has been sent to debit cardholder recipients. To read the message click here.
December 28, 2020
On Dec. 27, 2020, a federal COVID-19 relief package that extends and provides additional federal unemployment benefits was signed into law. The Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (OUI) is reviewing the new unemployment provisions and preparing to reprogram its system to process claims for the additional benefits.
As was the case with previous federal unemployment programs, the OUI must receive guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor before it can fully implement the changes and begin issuing payments. It is unlikely that all of the guidance will be issued before January 2021. More information will be provided on this website as it becomes available.
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Extended Benefit Claimants
Extended Benefit (EB) Claimants - The US Department of Labor (US DOL) has advised Kentucky that the state will not be able to pay any extended benefits after Nov. 28. No new applications will be accepted after that date, and claimants who have yet to exhaust all benefits will not receive the balance of their funds. Find more information on the US DOL ruling. Affected UI claimants will receive an email notification from the Office of Unemployment Insurance.
Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program
The Lost Wages Assistance Program was established on August 8, 2020, through a Presidential Memorandum signed by Donald J. Trump. The LWA program is administered through FEMA and ended on 12/16/20 due to the funds being exhausted. The FEMA grant funding to each state was based on the state’s projected estimate of the amount of lost wages supplemental payments to be made per week, the estimate of eligible claimants, and a planning estimate for the state, inclusive of FEMA’s budgetary authority. It is important to note that these funds are not guaranteed.
View frequently asked questions pertaining to the FEMA LWA program.
If you have been denied LWA benefits AND FILED AN APPEAL, you must fill out the stipulation below and submit it to the Appeals Branch for consideration in your appeal. Please fill out each section completely, sign or e-sign the stipulation, and return the entire document to the Appeals Branch by either selecting the “Submit” button, emailing the completed document to UILWAAppeals@ky.gov, or mailing the completed document to the Office of Unemployment Insurance Attn: Appeals Branch 500 Mero Street 4-SC, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601.
LWA Stipulation of Facts.
Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) Program $400 Video - Watch Now
Security Incident Information
Unemployment Insurance claimants who uploaded identity documents to the UI Portal from March 1, 2020 through April 23, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. may have been subject to having their identity documents exposed. If you were potentially affected by this security breach, you will receive a letter via email or U.S. mail.
DECEMBER 19, 2020: Attention: The United States Congress is working on legislation that may extend the unemployment benefits claim programs created under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). If the legislation is enacted, the Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance (OUI) will work to implement it as quickly as possible. However, OUI must wait for guidance from the U.S. Department of Labor before the provisions of the Act can be implemented.
Note: OUI cannot take any action before the effective date of any new legislation. The CARES Act expires on December 31, 2020, but the last date OUI can pay benefits under that act is December 26, 2020.