TOPEKA, Kan. – The National Federation of Independent Businesses has urged Kansas Governor Laura Kelly to roll back federal unemployment benefits while the state sees record-high levels of open jobs that cannot be filled.
The National Federation of Independent Businesses says on Friday, it urged Governor Laura Kelly to follow suit of states like Missouri and cut Kansas’ participation in the federal supplemental unemployment benefits program. It said the federal money allows for an additional $300 per week in benefits to go to claimants through September. The Federation said the program hurts small business owners across Kansas as they face record levels of open jobs that cannot be filled with qualified workers.
“Now is the time to take a look at the best way to reopen Kansas,” said Dan Murray, NFIB State Director in Kansas. “Here’s the truth: small business owners have taken the brunt of the pain when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many have shut their doors and many others are struggling to survive. What they need right now is the ability to create new jobs and get Kansas’ economy back on track. They can’t do that when Kansans are getting paid more to stay at home than return to work. We need the governor to do what other Midwest states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Missouri have done this week: provide Kansas workers with the incentive to get back to work.”
The NFIB said it released its latest jobs report this week, which shows a record 44% of small business owners have reported that they have openings they simply cannot fill, 22 points higher than the 48-year historical average and 2 points higher than the figure from March. It said April is the third month in a row with a record-high reading of unfilled job openings in small businesses.
