After an unprecedented year of hardship caused by the global pandemic, the Governor ended most of the Covid-19 restrictions on June 11 declaring, “We are no longer in crisis”. Businesses across Kentucky however still are. GLI has joined a coalition of the three metro chambers of Kentucky to advocate for ending the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC).

As small businesses across the state try to recover economic losses from the pandemic, they are facing another substantial hurdle. The FPUC program created by the CARES Act makes it nearly impossible for businesses to find workers when FPUC unemployment benefits provide potential workers over $17 per hour. While this program provided much-needed relief and stabilization during the height of the pandemic, it is now threatening our regional economic recovery.

This critical workforce shortage is seen across our core industries including hospitality, tourism, manufacturing, and childcare.

We are encouraging the Governor to end the state’s participation in the FPUC program ahead of the September 6th sunset provision to ensure businesses can recruit a reliable workforce to operate at full capacity. The large number of open jobs in our state, coupled with the 30-days’ minimum notice requirement of FPUC will allow our workforce and economy to more fully recover from the pandemic.

Read the joint letter from Greater Louisville Inc., Commerce Lexington, and the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce here.