Who Qualifies for Unemployment in Kansas
In the state of Kansas, qualifications for unemployment have been put in place in order to ensure that individuals in need are able to receive unemployment benefits. Unemployment qualifications focus on the reason why the applicant was terminated, as well as the applicant’s capabilities and ability to work. In order to be an applicant who qualifies for unemployment in Kansas, you must:
- Have earned wages in at least two of the four quarters of the base period
- Have earned at least 30 times your weekly benefit rate in the entire base period
- Have earned at least the set minimum amount in wages before you were unemployed
- Have become unemployed through no fault of your own
- Be able and available to work
- Be actively seeking out employment
Kansas does allow some exceptions to the above requirements, depending upon the situation. An applicant that has been forced to move due to a domestic violence situation, is temporarily unable to work due to an illness or injury, or has to provide full time care to a disabled or sick family member may still may be eligible for EDD without meeting all of the requirements listed above.
In cases where an applicant is incarcerated or currently facing legal restrictions that may prevent him or her from seeking full-time employment, the applicant will not qualify to receive unemployment.
Once an applicant is approved to collect unemployment insurance in Kansas, he or she must continue to follow all unemployment eligibility rules and regulations in order to maintain eligibility for unemployment. Kansas state law requires that all applicants file biweekly claims, as well as keep record of all submitted job applications and potential employer contact information.
Kansas holds specific eligibility requirements in regards to who qualifies for unemployment. Those who have experienced wrongful termination will almost always meet unemployment insurance eligibility requirements and will be able to collect benefits.
Kansas Unemployment Requirements
Any Kansas resident who qualifies for unemployment must be unemployed due to no fault of their own. Reasons for termination that qualify for unemployment benefits include:
- Being terminated as a direct result of reduction-in-force (RIF), or being “laid off” due to downsizing at your workplace.
- Being fired for a lack of necessary skills or training needed to adequately perform the assigned tasks.
- Having to voluntarily quit your job due to an unavoidable reason such as sexual harassment, dangerous working conditions, a personal disability or illness that prevents you from performing necessary tasks, or the illegal withholding of wages.
Reasons for termination that do not qualify for receiving unemployment benefits in Kansas include:
• Willful disregard or refusal to perform the necessary assigned tasks.
• Misconduct within the workplace.
• Deliberately breaking office rules or not following the explained standard of behavior.
• Being unable to perform assigned tasks due to the use of drugs or alcohol.
• Theft (exceeding a value of $25) or intentional abuse or damage of work place property.
In some cases, the reason an applicant was terminated from work may result in the applicant receiving a reduced period of insurance benefits. For example, if an applicant is unemployed due to voluntarily leaving their job, he or she may not receive benefits for the first six weeks of unemployment. The information provided by both the applicant and the employer will ultimately determine who qualifies for unemployment.
It is important to remember that all documents and statements provided by the applicant will be checked and reviewed. Once an applicant has filed a claim for unemployment, his or her employer will be contacted and given the opportunity to testify in person or submit a written testimony in regards to the applicant’s reason for unemployment. It is the responsibility of the employer to prove that the applicant’s termination occurred due to no fault of their own.
If the applicant experiences any changes in employment, such as taking on part-time or full-time employment during the claim process, it is important that those changes be immediately reported to the Kansas unemployment claim center. In some cases, an applicant who has found part-time employment may still be eligible for part-time benefits, however those who fail to report a change in employment status may be charged for fraud.
