Kansas Unemployment Insurance

Kansas Unemployment Insurance (UI) provides temporary financial assistance to replace lost wages to workers when they are unemployed through no fault of their own.

Each state sets its own guidelines for eligibility for UI benefits, but you usually qualify if you:

1. have lost a job through no fault of your own;
2. are unemployed or partially unemployed for reasons permissible under federal law;
3. are “able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work;” and
4. have earned at least a certain amount of money during a “base period” prior to becoming unemployed. In most states, this is usually the first 4 out of the last 5 completed calendar quarters prior to the time that your claim is filed.

According to the Kansas Department of Labor, in order to be eligible for unemployment benefits in Kansas, you must have earned a minimum amount of wages in a recent ‘base period’ and must have:

1. wages in at least two quarters of the base period,
2. with total wages of at least 30 times your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) you are eligible to collect during the base period.¹

For example, if your highest paid quarter was $4,000 and your WBA would be $170 (4.25% of $4,000), ² your total base-period wages must be at least $5,100 ($170 x 30) to qualify.

How much is unemployment insurance in Kansas?

According to the Kansas Department of Labor, for new claims filed on or after July 1, 2026, your weekly benefit amount will be between $165 and $663 per week, up to a maximum of 16 weeks.¹

How many weeks of unemployment benefits does Kansas offer?

Kansas provides up to 16 weeks of benefits, which is shorter than the 26 weeks available in many other states. Payments end once the maximum has been paid or the benefit year expires.

How do I apply for unemployment insurance in Kansas?

To file a new application for unemployment benefits, go to KansasUI.gov  or if you wish to file by phone, please call one of the following numbers