Key Takeaways
- Kansas' maximum weekly unemployment benefit is $637 in 2026, up from $589, following the annual adjustment based on the statewide average weekly wage.
- Benefits last up to 26 weeks under standard conditions.
- Kansas' partial UI formula uses a 25% earnings disregard — you can earn up to 25% of your WBA per week before your benefit is reduced.
- Kansas taxes unemployment benefits as ordinary state income at graduated rates up to 5.7%; federal taxes also apply.
- Beyond UI, unemployed Kansans can access KanCare (Medicaid — Kansas has NOT fully expanded Medicaid under the ACA, though partial expansion exists), CHIP, SNAP, LIHEAP energy assistance, and career services through Kansas Workforce Centers statewide.
Kansas’ unemployment insurance program — managed by the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) — increased its maximum weekly benefit to $637 in 2026, up from $589 in 2025. Kansas sets its maximum based on the statewide average weekly wage, adjusted annually. Note that Kansas is one of the few remaining states that has not fully expanded Medicaid under the ACA, which limits health coverage options for low-income unemployed adults. See how Kansas compares at SavingToInvest’s state unemployment benefits guide.
2026 Benefit Amounts and Duration
Kansas’ maximum weekly benefit is $637 for 2026. The minimum is $147. Benefits last up to 26 weeks.
Your Weekly Benefit Amount is calculated at approximately 55% of your average weekly wage during the base period, subject to the $637 cap. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before filing.
Things can change — I’ll update this page when any adjustments are announced. Subscribe here to get notified.
Who Qualifies
To receive Kansas UI benefits, you must:
- Have earned wages in covered employment during the base period
- Have wages in your highest quarter of at least $1,885
- Have total base period wages of at least 30× your WBA
- Have lost your job through no fault of your own (layoff, reduction in force, business closure)
- Be physically able and available for suitable full-time work
- Actively seek employment — Kansas requires documentation of job-search contacts
Register with KansasWorks at kansasworks.com and certify weekly through the KDOL portal at GetKansasBenefits.gov or by phone at 785-291-6100.
Workers fired for misconduct or who quit without good cause are generally ineligible. Kansas recognizes good cause for domestic violence, medical conditions, and significant employer-imposed changes to employment conditions.
Partial Unemployment for Part-Time Workers and Reduced Hours
Kansas’ partial UI formula: the earnings disregard is 25% of your WBA per week. Earnings above that threshold reduce your benefit dollar-for-dollar.
For example, if your WBA is $500 (25% = $125) and you earn $250:
- Disregard: $125
- Deductible earnings: $250 − $125 = $125
- Adjusted WBA: $500 − $125 = $375
Workers on reduced hours can file for partial benefits. All gross earnings must be reported when certifying each week.
Tax Implications of Kansas Unemployment Benefits
Kansas taxes unemployment compensation as ordinary income at graduated state rates from 3.1% to 5.7% for 2026. Most UI recipients will pay the top 5.7% rate on most of their benefits (the 5.7% rate applies to income above $30,000 for single filers, $60,000 for joint). Kansas has been slowly reducing income tax rates; the top rate dropped from 5.7% in recent legislation but remains in that range for 2026.
At the federal level, UI is taxable as ordinary income. You’ll receive Form 1099-G from KDOL by January 31. You can elect federal and Kansas state withholding from your weekly payments when certifying. Withholding is recommended.
How to File
File your claim at GetKansasBenefits.gov or call 785-291-6100. You’ll need your Social Security number, complete work history for the past 18 months, and bank account details for direct deposit or a debit card.
There is a one-week waiting period before benefits start. After approval, certify weekly through the KDOL portal — report all earnings and work-search activities each week.
If your claim is denied, you have 16 days from the mailing date to file an appeal.
Other Benefits Available to Unemployed Kansas Workers
KanCare (Medicaid): Kansas has NOT fully expanded Medicaid under the ACA. However, KanCare covers certain low-income adults: parents with children, pregnant women, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities. Childless adults generally do not qualify for KanCare Medicaid in Kansas. Apply at accessks.dccca.org or your local DCF office.
CHIP: Kansas’ HealthWave program provides low-cost health coverage for children in households up to 238% of the federal poverty level. Apply through KanCare at accessks.dccca.org.
SNAP (Food Assistance): Kansas SNAP provides monthly food benefits via EBT. Apply at accessks.dccca.org or your local Department for Children and Families (DCF) office. Net income limits are at 100% of the federal poverty level.
LIHEAP (Energy Assistance): Kansas’ LIEAP program provides assistance with home heating costs. Apply through your local community action agency. Contact the Kansas Energy Assistance Program at dcf.ks.gov for a provider list.
Kansas Workforce Centers: Kansas’ Workforce Center network provides free job placement, career services, skills training, resume help, and access to WIOA-funded training programs. Find your nearest center at kansasworks.com. Participating in career center activities helps satisfy UI work-search requirements.
What to Watch in 2026 and Beyond
Kansas’ benefit maximum adjusts annually. The 2027 rate will depend on statewide wage growth through 2026. Medicaid expansion has been debated in the Kansas legislature for several years — if passed, it would significantly improve health coverage for unemployed Kansans without dependents. I’ll update this page when those changes occur.
juie august 9 2021 I have been waiting almost 7 months now and havent received a penny. they told me i would be receiving my 13 wk back pay check in 2-3 weeks. Every time i called to file a claim they all said the same thing. Its all lies they just say it to get you off the phone. How much longer are we supposed to wait? I have already lost everything. This is pathetic and wrong
UPDATE to my previous post as of 03/10/2021:
Went to file my 02/27/2021 weekly claim and noticed there the timely filing message was no longer there, instead it was apply for benefits and the file a claim button similar to what it was like last year, I thought ok, I would see what it says when I click on apply for benefits and upon doing so, it tells me that I am already in, so I go back to main and file my weekly claim and it processes successfully and so I thought maybe they are getting there sh** together and I may get paid. Well, the next week came and went and no payment and i have now filed 03/06/2021 and so I guess I will see if they pay me this week. I have attempted to call them not to ask my previous question but to find out why I still haven’t been paid and when I will, unfortunately even with extended hours and now on weekends I’ve been calling everyday and,hell I call from my other phone and I still get the hold que is full. I’m seriously starting to think they are using the money to pay the state bills and to upgrade the archaic system and I don’t think they have added as many people to answer calls as they have told us; it just doesn’t seem to add up why hardly noone is able to get through, if they have been answering calls, then that is less claimants that would be calling in, if I get through and get my 2 questions answered, then I wouldn’t be calling in again unless I didn’t get paid for a week, so whatever, this is seriously a bunch of BS.
Came to me exactly I think a lot of us are in the same boat they seem to tell us all the same thing I haven’t been paid since December 26th I like you said they’re all full of s*** .we want our money we want it now! KDOL
Thi isndyct. Stillnothing ut even asehlp rom the governor and senetar and still waiting. Come On now,kdol, getut if your ass and submit my payments
thesecuruty upgrade with Lexis Nexis 2-2-21 After i created my new account, i logged in and saw someone elses name, phone number, complete address,& claim number. I used a diferent email address and was able to access my information and continue filing my weekly claims. My mistake was that i reported the issue to KDOL fraud. Because of doingso, they flagged my account for fraud without even notifying me, and they have yet to respond to my emails or faxes. How the hell can KDOL say theypaid millions in fraudulent claims when there are thousands of Kansans with non-fraudulent claims that havent seen a dime? It would take someone less than 30 minutes to make a phone call and verify a new claimants identity. KDOL has access to myBirth Certificate, Social Security Card, w-2s, past and present employers, and apparently thats not enough to verify my legitimacy. This is an absolute disgrace and should be punishable to the full extent of the law. KDOL is commiting acts of terrorism in the form of monetary withholding and false accusations toward the public. People are suffering 10 times more due to KDOL negligence compared to the pandemic. There is corruption running rampant throughout our state agencies and when the truth becomes well known, people will find justice. The KDOL deputy secretary Brett Flachsbarth makes over 119,990 every year and that doesnt include the thousands more he collects in bonuses. That money comes from the taxvpayers pockets. He has done nothing to ameliorate the crisis and he doesntcare about Kansans being forced further into poverty.
I’ve been. Waiting for pua from March 2020,to oct.2020. It’s now Sept 2021 still have not received a dime
Was you claim verified by the KS DOL? You need to call them or your local representative. If not, then you may need to consider legal action. 12 months is a long time to wait.
I have been waiting to get paid for 2 years now and still have not got paid. I have tried to get through to the call center and can never seem to get through. I contacted Governor Kelly about my situation and still no help. Is there anyone higher up I can contact to help me with my situation? This is over ridiculous and they need to pay
I live in Kansas and qualify for PEUC. I first completed PEUC applications after Jan. 2, 2021 online and submitted them online, only to get errors, although I did get a confirmation page. The very few times I could get through to the contact center, the agents first said the errors were because the new PEUC program was not implemented yet and I would need to wait. Another agent told me I should be able to apply online again once the new program was in the system. Another agent told me I don’t need to apply that it is automatic once the program is in the system. I have the PUA tab and can file weekly claims for PUA, but I don’t qualify for the PUA yet. I was able to talk to another agent the other day who told me that all my weekly claims are going toward my PEUC program, but I have not received any money yet and it is now March 8, 2021!! The last agent sent an e-mail to IT so they could put the PEUC tab in my online account. Wonder how long that will take? Meantime, I keep filing my PEUC claims in my PUA tab and continue trying and trying to get through on the phone lines because the last agent told me I would need to talk with a specialist about my account and they only work 8-4 M-F, but no one can get through! I read that some claimants have pushed 000 or 0000 or 444 or 4444 as soon as the message comes on and this will get you in the que and bypass all the automated information which is about 2 minutes or so! Does anyone have any ideas how I can complete a PEUC application or if it is even needed? Is this an automatic as I have been told? I am frustrated, mad, angy and upset beyond belief! Please help!!
Does anyone have a really good guess when they will start paying PEUC? I haven’t been paid since end of December and am owed over $7880, which I really need! Can’t get through to the call center at all! Help!!!!
Someone needs to get this guy on kdol payroll! I’ve gotten more info from him reading about what’s REALLY going on as opposed to kdol news updates about fraud this n fraud that. Kdol more worried about fraud than the kansans who NEED assistance. It’s sad how this has all went down. Someone needs to promote this guy. Real. Honest.To the Point! Ty.
Thanks!
No sh**, I agree, I haven’t been pd since PEUC ended Dec26th, funny thing was when I went to file weekly PEUC claim on Dec19 and suddenly gave a message that I didn’t file timely and I was eligible for PEUC, even though I was already on PEUC and it gave me option to start application, but no option to file weekly claim, so I clicked on apply, read a statement and had to check box confirming and then was given option to apply or file weekly, I clicked on file weekly and submitted and I rec’d my pay, had to do the same thing for week Dec26, I got paid, did the same for Jan2 since the ext was signed into law and have not rcvd pymt since, been going through same routine, and was starting to think I did need to RE-apply to PEUC, but I shouldn’t have to and from what I found out I just continue to do what I have been, but can’t get ahold of noone to ask, do I continue to ✔️ the confirmation box and file weekly claim OR do I actually have to RE-apply and fill out the PEUC application, if anyone knows the answer I would greatly appreciate it and good luck to all.
And on another note, when I got pd for DEC26TH that was only my 11th week out of the 13weeks I was supposed to get, so I never got my full 13 weeks because program ended Dec26th
Are there any updates on New Jersey
See this for NJ (still seeing delays) – https://savingtoinvest.com/new-jersey-nj-division-of-unemployment-insurance-600-fpuc-and-pua/