Answers to common questions about filing for Kansas unemployment
Kansans are applying for unemployment in record numbers, as nearly 130,000 residents have applied for benefits in the past three weeks — since the coronavirus pandemic has shut down many businesses.
Below, the Eagle answers some of the most common questions that readers have asked about unemployment benefits in Kansas.
Am I eligible for unemployment benefits?
If you are not working through no fault of your own and not being paid, you are eligible. People who have been put on furlough are eligible for every week they do not work. Part-time workers may also qualify if their hours and wages have been reduced.
How should I try to file an initial claim?
Officials suggest first trying online at www.getkansasbenefits.gov before calling the Kansas unemployment contact center at 316-383-9947 or the toll-free number at 800-292-6333.
Due to the record amount of traffic, both options currently are being overwhelmed. The website is outdated and has routinely experienced technical difficulties, while the phone lines are receiving nearly one million calls a day and are typically backed up for hours.
I tried calling (for hours) and can’t get through, so what’s my best bet navigating the website?
Officials know dealing with the website can be frustrating, but they preach patience because it is still the fastest and easiest way to file a claim.
The site is prone to crashing during peak daytime hours, so users should be more successful between 6 and 8 a.m. and between 4 and 10 p.m. The site is undergoing nightly maintenance from 10:15 p.m. to 6 a.m., which limits many of its functions during that time.
Another problem has been trying to reset the account password, although updates to the site this past week should allow more users to solve this issue online instead of being forced to try to call in to a representative to unlock the account.
The Kansas Department of Labor has also built a thorough frequently asked questions section to help answer questions before you try calling them. The department has also been hosting daily question-and-answer sessions on its Facebook page that might be helpful.
I’m stuck and can’t figure out what to do next online, so I’m going to have to call in. What’s my best bet to get through?
The Kansas unemployment contact center is available between 8 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. on Monday through Friday. Patience will be necessary, as people have waited hours — and some even days — to reach someone over the phone.
If you call and get a busy signal, that means the system is at maximum capacity and you will have to hang up and try again. Many people have reported calling hundreds of times a day before getting through. Officials say once you do get through, your best bet is to stay on the line and be patient — hanging up and calling again will only send you to the back of the queue and clog up the system even more.
Although, the experience does seem to be improving for people in this past week. Thanks to a recent partnership with Amazon web services, the call center is now able to answer more calls. And the Kansas Department of Labor has also beefed up its staff, as the department now has as many as 80 state employees — four times as many as it did three weeks ago — assisting customers over the phone at any one time.
While not all of the representatives are able to assist customers who need extensive help filing their claim, they can take down your phone number for a call back later that day.
How much should I expect to receive in unemployment benefits from the state?
Your weekly check will be 4.25% of your wages in the highest paid quarter from the past year. The maximum weekly payment in Kansas is capped at $488, while the minimum is $122. You may now receive benefits for up to 26 weeks, a 10-week extension from the prior status quo for everyone who filed their claim on or after January 1.
In 2020, the average weekly payment in Kansas has been $390.
But that figure should be dramatically increasing soon with the introduction of an extra $600 a week, courtesy of the coronavirus relief bill.
Speaking of that $600, what do I have to do to get it and when am I going to get it?
Officials don’t have an exact date yet to promise when people will receive the additional $600 a week, but hope that the money from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program will arrive by the week of April 20 at the latest. It is taking this long because the new program has to be coded into the state’s outdated system, a complicated process that takes time.
Don’t worry, even though the money has yet to be doled out, officials assure that the state will make retroactive payments on the program to ensure people ultimately receive their full amount of assistance. The additional $600 weekly benefit will be backdated to the week of March 29 and will be paid out every week through July 25.
If you are already receiving state benefits, you do not have to do anything extra to receive the extra $600 payments. They will automatically be tacked on to your weekly check.
If I’m self-employed and out of work, can I receive unemployment benefits?
If you lost your business or work due to the coronavirus pandemic, you now qualify to receive unemployment benefits from the state. Self-employed workers have been excluded from this in the past, but that changed with the CARES Act, which included the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program.
Everybody from small business owners to freelancers to Uber drivers can qualify for this new program, as long as you can prove you were directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, you are unable to work your job remotely and you are not receiving paid leave.
If you qualify, then you can receive weekly benefits anywhere from $192 to $488. Even better news is that if you are eligible for the PUA program, you are also eligible to receive the additional $600 payment under the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program.
When you’re filling out the form, a key part to remember is to use your personal information. When it asks for the business’ name, use your own and when it asks for the business’ address, use your own. In doing this, it will alert the system that you are self-employed and that’s an important distinction.
It’s also crucial to know that your unemployment claim will be denied. Don’t be disappointed because this is actually a good thing. In order to qualify for the program, you must prove you are ineligible for traditional unemployment programs and your denial letter in the mail is the proof you will need later. You will also need to continue to file weekly claims, even though they’ll be denied.
The bad news is that the state still does not know when exactly this new program will start producing money for self-employed workers. The good news is like the other new programs, it will be backdated to March 29 and be paid in full when the money arrives. So if you complete the above process now, you will receive your benefits automatically when they become available.
Am I eligible for an extension if my benefits have expired?
If you have exhausted your benefits through the state, then you are not eligible for the 10-week extension. But you are eligible for a 13-week extension through the Federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
This is a new program and not yet operational, but the state will make retroactive payments dating back to the week of March 29.
You will not have to apply separately for this extension, but you will have to continue to file your weekly claims. Officials recommend starting to file weekly claims now, even though you will not be paid yet, to get a jump start for when the payments are available.
How does Kansas compare to other states with its unemployment benefits?
In short, Kansas is one of the better states when it comes to doling out unemployment benefits.
According to the latest data published by the U.S. Department of Labor through the month of February, Kansas ranked 18th nationally with its average weekly payment of $404 over the past year. During that same period, the average person received $372 in weekly unemployment benefits.
Kansas has the 21st-highest maximum weekly payment at $488 a week, a cap that will soon rise 123% to $1,088 courtesy of the extra $600 a week being included from the coronavirus relief bill.
Kansas also recently extended its unemployment benefits from 16 to 26 weeks, joining the majority of states, which offer benefits for half a year.
Alright, I filed my unemployment claim and I’m all set up. Do I still have to file a claim weekly and if so, when should I do that?
Yes, you will still have to file a claim weekly for every week you are unemployed. It is easier to file a weekly claim than it is to make your initial unemployment claim.
You are able to first submit your weekly claim on Sunday at noon, but due to the high volume of traffic the website has been frequently crashing for users on Sunday.
Officials say not to panic if you cannot file your weekly claim on Sunday. People who file their weekly claims on Monday before 7 p.m. will still receive their payment on the same day as the people who filed on Sunday.
If you file your claim on Tuesday through Saturday, you can expect to receive payment two to three business days later.
Online it’s showing that my payment for the week has been temporarily suspended. What do I do next?
This means there is some form of doubt on your unemployment status for the week and your claim is under review. You won’t find out anything more online, so if you want specifics on your account you will have to call in and speak with a representative to sort out the matter.
Do I have to look for work to qualify for unemployment benefits?
That is no longer a requirement if you are unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic and have taken all of the necessary steps to return to work for your regular employer.
Do I have to serve a waiting week?
Usually that is the case, but that requirement has been waived if you are unemployed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
What if I’m receiving sick leave, vacation leave or some other paid benefit while I am off work?
Paid leave is considered wages, so if those wages for the week are more than your weekly benefit amount, you will not be eligible for benefits for that week.
This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 5:41 AM.
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