Topeka ? The Kansas Department of Labor is notifying almost 10,000 unemployed people in the state that they possibly qualify for a new round of jobless benefits.

The state on Sunday became eligible to provide a second tier of Emergency Unemployment Compensation benefits to people who have exhausted their original benefits.

Those who qualify can receive up to 13 additional weeks of benefits, beginning June 13.

Besides people who have exhausted their benefits, the state is also sending information to people whose benefits are about to end.

A state becomes eligible for the second tier of benefits if its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate reaches 6 percent or more for 13 straight weeks.

More information on the program is available on the Internet at http://www.dol.ks.gov/index.html.