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The Kansas Senate and House currently are debating an amendment on SB 83 which gives employers tax relief from payments into the Unemployment Security Trust fund. Governor Kathleen Sebelius in her State of the State supported a temporary reduction in payments to the fund, but she coupled this with a call for the elimination of of the waiting week for laid off employees who receive benefits.

The Kansas House of Representatives overwhelmingly placed an amendment onto SB 83 which in affect eliminated the waiting week for a two year period. The bill ended up in conference committee, and the Republican controlled conferees agreed to disagree which in affect sends it back for debate and revision. Apparently the Republican committee leadership hopes that the portion dealing with the waiting week will be removed from the bill.

 In the House of Representatives, 35 Republicans voted for the elimination of the waiting week for the two year period. With this bi-partisan support, it would be hoped that a possibility of gaining some relief when our sisters and brothers are laid off could be achieved in this session. The Senate had rejected a similar amendment 24-16, but with your help, we can hopefully change some votes in the Senate and shore up those votes in the House.