photo by: Screenshot/Kansas Department of Labor

The Kansas Department of Labor unemployment benefits website is pictured Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020.

TOPEKA (AP) — Kansans who can certify that they are unemployed because of the coronavirus outbreak will be eligible for an additional $300 in unemployment benefits beginning Friday.

Gov. Laura Kelly said the Kansas Department of Labor will begin processing applications for benefits from the state’s Lost Wages Assistance program Friday.

The benefits are in addition to unemployment payments under the federal Lost Wages Assistance program. President Donald Trump authorized the payments in early August when $600 in federal unemployment from the CARES Act expired.

The benefits will be retroactive to the week ending Aug. 1. The funds will be available through the week ending Sept. 5.

Kansas has paid more than 2.5 million weekly unemployment claims totaling more than $2 billion since March 15, the governor’s office said.

The governor’s office also announced Thursday that applications are being taken for $40 million in grants and resources to support remote learning for school-age children.

The Kansas Children’s Cabinet and Trust Fund will administer the funds, which will be awarded on an ongoing basis. Funds will be awarded to school-age programs, state-licensed child care providers and those with success developing and delivering quality remote care and education services/programs for children, the governor’s office said.