Starting a business on unemployment in Kansas

Self-Employment Assistance in Kansas

No. Kansas doesn’t run Self-Employment Assistance, so unemployment is for people looking for work.

How self-employment affects your benefit

KDOL says you are not eligible if you are running a full-time business (self-employed full-time); income from a part-time business (e.g. selling cosmetics) must be reported and may reduce your benefits.

You can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit without affecting benefits; earnings above 25% are deducted dollar for dollar.

Your weekly job search

Complete three work search activities each benefit week, at least one of which must be a job application or resume submitted to an employer; record them in the Work Search Journal in the KansasUI.gov claimant portal; online/phone claimants are registered with KANSASWORKS automatically.

Pontia keeps your job-search record for you and links to KANSASWORKS, so your plan and your search run side by side.

Other help in Kansas

• Kansas Rehabilitation Services (Kansas Department for Children and Families): KRS policy (Section 3-7, published 07/26) treats self-employment as a legitimate VR goal, in stages from exploration and a feasibility review to a required business plan, with VR funding only if reasonable, tied to the plan and matched by the client's own contribution where feasible.
• Medicaid: Kansas did not expand Medicaid, so the new federal work requirement for expansion adults does not apply here.
• SBA Microloans of up to $50,000, and free advice from your local SBDC and SCORE mentors.
• On SSI or SSDI: PASS and the SSDI trial work period let you test a business.

Questions