Kansans likely to exhaust unemployment will receive job search assistance from state
Out-of-work Kansans who are likely to exhaust their unemployment benefits could soon get help from the state to find a new job.
Kansas will provide job search assistance and career counseling through the Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment, or RESEA, program, which the state relaunched this month after a year-long hiatus.
If the state selects someone to participate, they must do so in order to continue receiving unemployment.
Those required to partake will receive a letter soon with more information, and will be assigned a case manager. The program targets people who are likely to run out of unemployment benefits.
“By connecting unemployed Kansans with the resources needed to secure a high-quality job, the RESEA program will improve our economy, communities, and the livelihoods of Kansans statewide,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement. “It’s not good enough to return to the days before the pandemic; instead, we must rebuild a healthier, stronger, more resilient workforce and economy.”
The program, a collaboration between the Kansas Department of Commerce and the Kansas Department of Labor, is meant to quickly assist unemployed Kansans in finding new work in the state. It was permanently established nationally through the U.S. Department of Labor.
Appointments for the job search aid will be entirely virtual and will begin on Monday. If someone cannot easily access the internet, case managers will find another way to hold appointments.
During the 2018 program year, the reemployment aid served nearly 7,200 unemployed Kansans, according to the state. At the time, it found the primary barrier to employment for participants was long-term unemployment.
Anyone partaking in the RESEA program can contact staff at 877-509-6757.
“RESEA helps Kansans get jobs, and get them as soon as possible. We’ve experienced an unprecedented employment crisis, and we’re here to provide every resource possible to make sure affected Kansans can provide for themselves and their families,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said in a statement.
This story was originally published March 25, 2021 at 1:50 PM.
