Kansas Unemployment Benefit Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for unemployment benefits in Kansas, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be unemployed or underemployed. This means that you must be either totally unemployed or working part-time but earning less than your weekly benefit amount.
• Have earned sufficient wages in employment that is covered by Kansas Unemployment Security Law. This means that you must have earned at least $30 times your weekly benefit amount in wages from insured employment during your base period. Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim.
• Be unemployed through no fault of your own. This means that you must have lost your job through no fault of your own, such as if you were laid off, fired for no good reason, or quit for good cause.
• Be able to work and available for work. This means that you must be physically and mentally able to work and available to accept work if offered. You must also be actively looking for work.

Additional eligibility requirements:

• You must be at least 16 years old.
• You must not be receiving other benefits, such as Social Security or workers’ compensation.
• You must not be self-employed.
• You must not be ineligible for any other reason, such as if you quit your last job without good cause or were discharged for misconduct.

How to apply for unemployment benefits in Kansas:

You can apply for unemployment benefits online, by phone, or in person at your local Kansas Department of Labor office. You will need to provide your Social Security number, driver’s license number, and information about your employment history.

How much will I receive in unemployment benefits?

Your weekly benefit amount (WBA) will be based on your earnings during your base period. The minimum WBA is $25 per week, and the maximum WBA is $488 per week. Your WBA will be paid to you each week for up to 26 weeks.

For more information about unemployment benefits in Kansas, please visit the Kansas Department of Labor website or call 1-800-314-4598.