The Kansas Department of Labor is announcing the rollout of the Unemployment Insurance Technology Enhancement project. The project will modernize the employer and claimant experience and is expected to launch on Nov. 19, 2024.
In a release from the KDOL, Kansas Governor Laura Kelly says, “Kansans needing access to unemployment benefits have depended on an outdated computer system that wreaked havoc during the great recession and later during the pandemic. What happened during the pandemic could have largely been avoided had modernization been allowed to proceed. I made a commitment to Kansans to finish the job this time, and that is exactly what Kansas Labor Secretary Amber Shultz and the entire team at the agency have done. Their efforts to bring the state into the 21st century will ensure that we are prepared should we face similar economic downturns in the future.”
Labor Secretary Shultz said that the KDOL worked with Tata Consultancy Services, and the Kansas Unemployment Insurance system has achieved the most rapid deployment of any state.
According to the release, the new system will deliver an improved unemployment insurance experience by:
• Streamlining operations through improved workflow efficiency and adaptability, data management, and collaborations with other agencies;
• Enhancing user experience through adoption of advanced customer relationship management systems and personalized communication channels, more self-service options, and improved mobile-friendly access for claimants; and
• Upgrading data security and compliance with enhanced cybersecurity measures to safeguard data and ensure regulatory compliance.
As part of the technology upgrade rollout, the Unemployment Contact Center and getkansasbenefits.gov site will be unavailable starting Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 5 p.m. and will reopen on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 8 a.m. Claimants will not be able to file claims during this time frame.