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Kansas Department of Labor Plans Call Center Expansion to Support Failed Unemployment System
The Kansas Department of Labor will now be expanding its call center to help handle the large number of jobless claims brought on by the pandemic.
Governor Laura Kelly officially announced that the state would finally be upgrading the legacy computer system that the state has used for decades, which has been the major source of blame for the majority of current issues. The Department Of Labor believes that the call center will help the state catch up on the backup of pending jobless claims. Governor Kelly has secured $37.5 million to go directly toward upgrading the systems.
Fraud has become a big issue for the KDOL, with a recent legislative audit discovering that offshore identity theft is preventing thousands of citizens from claiming their benefits. In fact, federal investigators have claimed that more than 50,000 cases of fraud have been reported in 2020. The legislative audit estimates that up to $600 million in funds were hijacked due to fraud. This has resulted in many Kansans going weeks or months without support.
“We understand the extraordinary frustration claimants are experiencing trying to get through to our customer service representatives, and we are continuing to bring on new staff to address the historic volume of callers,” said Amber Shultz, acting Kansas Secretary of Labor.
Starting Wednesday, The KDOL will be hiring more than 500 additional customer service agents to handle unemployment benefit cases. The call center will also have extended hours; Representatives will now be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and from 1-5 p.m. on Sundays. Weekly hours will also be extended, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.