Thousands of Kentuckians can now apply for a waiver that could clear them from having to repay the overpayments included in their unemployment benefits.

The Kentucky Office of Unemployment Insurance says it has mailed notices to about 14,000 unemployment claimants identified as having been overpaid in 2020.

The notices inform claimants how much they were overpaid and provide instructions on how to apply for the waiver, either online or by completing an enclosed form, the state agency said.

Claimants have 30 days from the date postmarked on the letter to apply for the waiver, and must attest that the overpayment was the result of no fault of their own, the agency said.

Legislation allowing the state to waive the overpayment of some pandemic-related unemployment claims was passed by lawmakers this year and signed by Gov. Andy Beshear.

The state has paid out more than $6 billion in unemployment benefits during the pandemic, Beshear’s administration said.