Kansas Unemployment Benefits Guide

This guide explains how to apply for unemployment in Kansas. Follow step by step instructions that will help you claim benefits through KS state unemployment office.

First and foremost, apply as soon as you lose the job. State unemployment offices generally take 1-3 weeks to process your application, especially for the initial claim. The compensation will be paid from the week you applied and if you delay, you will lose the benefits prior to the week of filing. You won't be allowed to back-date your claims or claim the benefits for prior weeks.

Kansas Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Requirements

There are some basic rules for eligibility. Even if you meet some of these rules partially, you should still apply for unemployment because state offices make a reasonable attempt to process your claim, as long as you provide a good justification.

You must have lost your job through no fault of your own. That means if you have quit job voluntarily you may not qualify for unemployment insurance. However, there are exceptions - such as working in hazardous or inhuman working conditions etc. to this rule.
You must be willing and able to work. If you are physically disabled, you do not qualify.
You must have worked minimum number of weeks specified by the State. Kansas State minimum weeks of covered employment requirement (employer must have paid unemployment taxes on your behalf):
You must have earned minimum amount of wages specified by State during this period. This amount may change every year. You can get get complete eligibility criteria and the benefits calculator from state website mentioned in the next section. Minimum wages earned during the base period:

Prepare documents required to apply for unemployment in KS

Your name, address, social security number and other personal details such as telephone number, email address etc.
Dependents name, date of birth and their social security number.
Details of your previous employer. For each employer, you need to provide
1. Name and address
2. Telephone number
3. Start and end dates of employment

If you had out-of-state employment in the past 18 months, you also need to provide the employment details.
Reason you lost the job – it has to be involuntary to be eligible to receive benefits.
Your job skills summary
If you are not an US citizen, keep your alien registration number and work authorization. However if you are on a work visa such as H1-B, immigration experts do not advise claiming unemployment insurance.

Apply for Benefits or Claim Extension

You can submit your application for unemployment compensation online, off-line (by mail or by visiting local employment office) or through telephone. Online application is the quickest and most efficient option which will also be available 24x7, 7 days a week.

Prepare and submit your application online here

If you choose to file over phone, call the unemployment compensation services toll-free number at Toll-free number, if you live outside the local calling area: (800) 292-6333. Local numbers: Kansas City Area: (913) 596-3500, Topeka Area: (785) 575-1460, Wichita Area: (316) 383-9947.

Weekly Cliams Numbers
Monday – 12:00 a.m. to Midnight
Tuesday through Friday – 7:00 a.m. to Midnight
Saturday – 9:00 a.m. to Midnight
Sunday – 12:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. and Noon to Midnight

Kansas City Weekly Claim Line: (913) 287-6913
Topeka Weekly Claim Line: (785) 296-4337
Wichita Weekly Claim Line: (316) 269-0633
Note: There is no toll-free number for weekly claims.

If you are applying for unemployment extension in Kansas, make sure you check the latest rules. Many states are in the process of revising the rules to extend the benefits beyond the initial period. Also, remember that you need to report unemployment benefits as an income when you file taxes with IRS at the end of the year.

All the major cities in Kansas including Wichita, Overland Park, Kansas City, Topeka, Olathe, Lawrence, Shawnee, Manhattan, Lenexa, and Salina have an unemployment office location to process unemployment claims. You can visit the local office for consultation or to file for unemployment in person

Kansas Unemployment Rate (Trend)

The graph below shows the current and historical unemployment rate in the state

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the State Extended Benefits Program?
The State Extended Benefits Program is designed to provide additional benefits to unemployed Kansans during periods of high unemployment. The program becomes effective once the state’s average seasonally adjusted unemployment rate reaches 6.5 percent or higher for three consecutive months. Under the program, individuals who exhaust their regular unemployment benefits and, in this case, any benefits through the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program, may qualify for up to 13 additional weeks of benefits.

Am I eligible for state extended benefits?
To be eligible for state extended benefits, you must meet the following criteria:
o Exhausted regular state unemployment insurance benefits
o Exhausted original EUC benefits
o Exhausted Tier II EUC benefits
o If your Tier II EUC benefits exhausted after Nov. 22, 2009, you must also have exhausted Tier III EUC benefits prior to receiving state extended benefits
o Not eligible for a new state unemployment insurance claim in any state or in Canada
o Currently unemployed or working less than full time

What are extended benefits and the Emergency Unemployment Compensation 08
(EUC08) program? Extended benefits are additional unemployment insurance benefits that are available to unemployed workers when they have exhausted their regular UI benefits. Extended benefits programs are enacted during periods of high unemployment. The EUC08 extended benefits program is a federally funded emergency program providing much needed help for many Kansans and their families while they continue to look for work. Effective July 6, 2008, the President approved up to 13 weeks of EUC08 benefits to unemployed workers. On Nov. 21, 2008, the President signed an extension into law, adding up to seven additional weeks of extended benefits for Kansas workers. This brings the total maximum EUC08 benefit to 20 weeks in Kansas. The first week for which the extension benefits could be paid was the week beginning November 23, 2008.

Who can apply for EUC08 extended benefits?
The EUC08 program extends UI benefits to those who have exhausted their regular UI benefits. If eligible, applicants could receive up to 20 additional weeks of UI benefits. Eligible workers include those who:
o Have filed a valid unemployment (UI) claim and their most recent benefit year ended on or after May 1, 2007
o Have exhausted all regular UI benefits
o Have no rights to regular unemployment compensation
o Have had:(1) earnings from covered employment equal to or greater than 1.5 times the wages earned during the highest wage quarter, (2) 40 times the weekly benefit amount or (3) 20 weeks of full-time insured employment or the equivalent in insured wages in the base period of the most recent entitled claim
o Are fully or partially unemployed on or after July 6, 2008
o Are legally authorized to work in the United States
o Meet all regular unemployment eligibility criteria such as being ready, willing and able to work

Kansas unemployment benefits qualification criteria

You can be denied unemployment benefits if:

• You have a medical condition that prevents you from seeking or accepting work immediately.
• You are not available to seek or accept work immediately.
• You are receiving worker's compensation for temporary or permanent total disability under the Worker's Compensation Law of any state.
• You are not a U.S. citizen or national and do not have legal work authorization.
• You have placed unreasonable restrictions on the wages, hours, days or location of a job you will accept.
• You are not looking for work or you restrict your work search activities.
• You did not report for, or satisfactorily participate in, re-employment services when required to do so.
• You are involved in a strike (labor dispute).
• You are self-employed.
• You are attending school or training, which prevents you from seeking or accepting work, unless your school or training has been approved by KDOL as approved training.
• You are on a leave of absence from your job.
• You are a school employee who is unemployed between school terms.
• You have refused suitable work.
• You claim or receive unemployment insurance benefits under another state or federal law.
• You receive a back-pay award or settlement.
• You are employed by an educational institution and had a contract for work in a recently completed academic year or term and have a contract or reasonable assurance of employment with an educational institution in the same or similar position for the next academic year or term.
• You are a substitute teacher.
• You are a school bus or other motor vehicle driver employed by a private contractor to transport students and school personnel to or from school-related activities. You are disqualified for benefits between academic years or terms if you have a contract or reasonable assurance of employment with a private contractor for the next academic year or term.
• You are an employee of governmental entities and certain nonprofit organizations that provide services to or on behalf of an educational institution. You are disqualified for benefits between academic years or terms if they have a contract or reasonable assurance of employment for the next academic year or term.
• You are a professional athlete between sports seasons and you were employed in the past sports season as a professional athlete and have a reasonable assurance of being employed as a professional athlete in the following sports season.
• You are a student:
o in high school
o registered and attending an established school training facility or other educational institution
o on vacation during or between two successive years or terms (for example, fall, spring and summer breaks) unless you are working full time while attending school, attending approved training or attending evening, weekend or limited daytime classes and are otherwise eligible.

Kansas unemployment benefits eligibility criteria

You are not eligible for unemployment benefits if you voluntarily quit your job without good cause, effective the day after your separation, and continuing until you become re-employed and have insured earnings of at least three times your weekly benefit amount.

You may still be eligible if you:
o Quit due to illness or injury upon the advice of a licensed and practicing health care provider.
o Quit temporary work to return to your regular full-time employer.
o Quit to enlist in the armed forces of the United States, but were rejected or delayed from entry.
o Quit due to working conditions hazardous to your physical, mental or moral well being.
o Quit due to unwelcome harassment by the employer or another employee.
o Quit to accept better work.
o Quit because the employer requested that you violate an ordinance or statute.
o Quit due to a violation of the work agreement.
o Quit due to a personal emergency.
o Quit due to the voluntary or involuntary transfer of your spouse from one job to another.
o Quit to enter training approved under the Federal Trade Act of 1974.
o Quit due to circumstances resulting from domestic violence.
For details concerning the 12 exceptions, you may obtain a copy of K.S.A. 44-706 (a) online at http://www.kslegislature.org

After completing a temporary job assignment, you may be disqualified if you fail to request an additional assignment on the next workday if required by the employment agreement.

Next steps

After you have submitted your application, you should actively look out for work because the benefits you receive will not be enough to cover your living expenses. The best thing to do is to take a look at your job skills and determine if you want to improve or learn new skills so that you can use this opportunity to revive your career. There are plenty of online opportunities to earn a living while working from home.

Disclaimer: The information provided is for information purpose only and should not be treated as an advise. Although we try to provide reliable content, do not guarantee that this website is free of inaccuracies, errors, omissions, viruses, adware, spyware etc.

{ 1 trackback }

Kansas unemployment rate falls to 6.3 percent in April | File Unemployment: June 3, 2010 at 2:30 am

{ 0 comments… add one now }

Kansas Unemployment Benefits Guide

Kansas Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Requirements

Prepare documents required to apply for unemployment in KS

Apply for Benefits or Claim Extension

Kansas Unemployment Rate (Trend)

Frequently Asked Questions

Next steps

State Unemployment Guides

Unemployment Guides

State Unemployment Claims

Links

Unemployment News