(WSIL) -- Gov. Andy Beshear announced  Thursday to pay as many as 15,000 Kentuckians on unemployment insurance a one-time $1,500 bonus to rejoin the workforce by July 30.
The Governor set aside $22.5 million in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act funds to pay for the program to incentivize more people to leave unemployment insurance and begin filling job vacancies throughout the commonwealth.
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“We want every Kentuckian working and participating as we sprint out of this pandemic with our economy booming,� Gov. Beshear said. “We wanted the right solution � not a red state or blue state solution � to thread this needle right to energize our thriving economy while looking out for those still trying to emerge from this once-in-a-lifetime pandemic who desperately need help. This is a step in the right direction for our people, our economy and our employers.�
To qualify, an applicant must:
- Be a Kentucky resident;
- Be employed by a Kentucky business between June 24 and July 30, 2021; and
- Have an active unemployment insurance claim as of June 23, 2021.
Employers will be responsible for completing an online application verifying that employees accepted employment between June 24 and July 30, 2021. They must also verify that employees worked 120 hours in the four weeks following new employment.
A full outline of the criteria to qualify is available on the Back to Work Incentive website, . The application will be available beginning Aug. 1.
The first 15,000 people to successfully qualify will be approved for a $1,500 taxable incentive. The last day to file an application for the Team Kentucky Back to Work Incentive is Oct. 1, 2021.
