What Are The Requirements To Qualify For Unemployment Benefits In Kentucky
As in other states, eligibility for State of Kentucky unemployment insurance benefits is not based on need. That being said, there are many other eligibility requirements that must be met in order to receive benefits:
- Be a Kentucky resident.
- Meet income requirements for work completed in Kentucky.
- Be able, available, and actively searching for work.
- Be out of work at no fault of your own.
Earnings eligibility requirements
Every state looks at a one-year base period of wages when determining unemployment insurance eligibility. In Kentucky, the base period is the first four out of the last five calendar quarters before your claim was made. To meet Kentucky unemployment requirements, you must meet the following requirements:
- Have earned a minimum of $750 in at least one quarter of your base period
- Have earned a minimum of $750 total outside the base period quarter when you earned the most
- Have earned at least 1.5 times your wages in the highest paid quarter of your base period
- Have wages in the last two base period quarters that equal a minimum of 8 times your weekly benefit amount
You must be able, available, and actively searching for work
Able to work refers to being physically and mentally capable of holding a job. If you are sick, injured, or disabled, you do not likely qualify for unemployment benefits in Kentucky. However, if you have a disability or condition but are able to work with reasonable accommodation, you are considered able to work.
How Much Are Unemployment Benefits In Kentucky
The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training provides unemployment insurance benefits to claimants who file a claim and qualify. The amount a claimant receives as a weekly benefit depends on his earnings while employed. The benefits help the unemployed claimant pay for expenses while searching for a new position and employers in the state fund the insurance program through taxes.
How Much Will I Receive In Kentucky Unemployment Benefits And For How Long
Kentucky pays successful benefits claimants between $39 and $569 per week, and the exact amount awarded is calculated based on earnings during the base period. Your wages for the base period quarter when you earned the most will be divided by 26 and then rounded down to the nearest dollar to produce your weekly benefit rate.
You will then receive benefits for 26 weeks or until you find a job. The total amount payable will be whichever is the lower of your weekly rate multiplied by 26 or a third of your total base period earnings. However, your total award will not be lower than your weekly rate multiplied by 15.
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Start At Kcckygov To File Your Claim
- Scroll down and click the orange File My Claim button.
- Scroll down to the bottom, read the information, and click I Agree if you agree. Log in or set up a new user. Follow the prompts.
- To check on your claim in the future, follow the instructions in the Check on My Claim section.
- If you have online difficulties, call 502-875-0442 for assistance.
Do I Qualify For Unemployment Benefits
Kentucky residents must meet the following requirements to claim unemployment benefits:
Kentucky has waived the work-search requirement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also taken the unprecedented step of opening unemployment benefits to independent contractors and self-employed workers, who are normally not eligible.
The state evaluates your earnings during a base period — the first four of the last five completed quarters before you applied for unemployment. The base period for those who apply in March is October 2018 to September 2019. For those who apply in April, it’s January to December 2019.
Your wages during the base period must check all these boxes to qualify:
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How Can I Contact Someone For Support With My Unemployment Benefits
Please visit Kentuckys Electronic Workplace for Employment Services to establish your unemployment insurance claim. In addition, you can contact them for any support and inquiries you may need concerning your unemployment insurance claims.
The KEWES Internet claims system is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week for claims filing. To request your bi-weekly benefit check online, the system is available Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. and Sunday from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
To file your Kentucky unemployment insurance claim, you are required to visit the official website of the Kentucky office of unemployment insurance. The processes involved include completing your eligibility review, resetting your pin, updating your payment method and email address. In a situation where you are having issues with filing your claims, you can contact the KEWES support team.
How Much Will I Receive
Q: How much can I receive from unemployment insurance?
A: Kentucky’s benefit range is between $39 and $552 per week. Applicants can log into their account 24 hours after filing a claim and view their benefit amount on the “account summary” page.
Q: Is there any way to get an idea of what my weekly benefit amount will be?
A: The state has a calculator on its website. This is only an estimate.
Q: How does the state determine how much I receive in benefits?
A: The amount unemployed workers receive is based on their past wages.
Q: Ive heard something about an extra $600. How is that working?
A: $600 will be added to each persons total weekly payment amount, through July 31, thanks to the federal CARES Act. For example, if your normal weekly benefit amount is $250, youll receive a total of $850. However, state officials say youll receive these amounts in separate payments. This increase went into effect the week of March 29. Kentucky is expected to start sending out these payments the evening of April 9. These payments will be retroactive.
Q: For how many weeks can I receive unemployment?
A: 39 weeks, which is an increase from the usual 26 weeks.
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Kentucky Unemployment Biweekly Claim
Posted: Jun 04, 2021 · Kentucky Unemployment Biweekly Claim. Kentucky unemployment insurance provides local workers with temporary financial assistance while they are in between jobs. To file a claim, you will need: Kentuckys kewes internet claims system for unemployment benefits is up and running during the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, but its kentucky
Types Of Disability Policies
There are two types of disability policies.
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Short-term policies may pay for up to two years. Most last for a few months to a year.
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Long-term policies may pay benefits for a few years or until the disability ends.
Employers who offer coverage may provide short-term coverage, long-term coverage, or both.
If you plan to buy your own policy, shop around and ask:
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How is disability defined?
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How long do benefits last?
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How much money will the policy pay?
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Learn Where To Sign Up For Unemployment In Kentucky
Kentucky Unemployment Application Information
Unemployed residents of Kentucky may find themselves wondering how can I sign up for unemployment? Those seeking unemployment benefits will be pleased to know that there are multiple options on where to sign up for unemployment. Applicants can now choose to file an online application for unemployment, or they can take the more traditional route of applying over the phone.
If you would like to learn more about how to apply for unemployment benefits in Kentucky, review the following sections:
Kentucky Unemployment Resources
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Have There Been Any Changes As A Result Of The Covid
Yes. For individuals who are unemployed as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak, the waiting week period has been waived during the state of emergency. Certain work search requirements have been waived as well. Also, to deal with an overflow of claims, individuals must file on a certain day of the week based on the first letter of their last names. Additionally, on March 28, 2020, Governor Andy Beshear signed an agreement with the Department of Labor that, for qualifying individuals, will extend the number of benefit weeks by 13 weeks and increase weekly benefit payments by $600.
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Can A Person Draw Ui If They Quit
Assuming the claimant has sufficient wage credits to establish a claim, he or she may be qualified to receive benefits if they voluntarily left their employment with good cause attributable to the employment and there are no other eligibility issues present.
In Kentucky, if you quit your job, you must have done so for just cause. When you apply to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training , it will verify that you quit your job and request information proving the situation falls under the just cause requirement.
If Employees Hours Are Reduced As A Result Of The Covid
Possibly. Individuals with reduced hours may be eligible for benefits. An individuals weekly earnings that are equal to or less than 20 percent of his or her weekly unemployment benefit amount will not reduce the amount of unemployment benefits paid. However, weekly earnings over 20 percent of his or her weekly unemployment benefit amount will reduce the weekly benefit payment for the individual dollar for dollar. An employee earning equal to or more than the weekly benefit amount will not receive unemployment benefits for that week.
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Can I Get Kentucky Unemployment Benefits If I Get Severance Pay
When a job unexpectedly ends, most people are left wondering how theyre going to pay the bills. Fortunately, Kentucky has a system in place that provides unemployment insurance benefits to to workers who have lost their job due to no fault of their own.
Some workers in Kentucky are also fortunate to be offered severance pay by their former employer when a job ends. To learn more about Severance Pay and Severance Agreements in Kentucky, go here Kentucky Severance Agreement Review and Negotiation and here Am I Entitled to Severance Pay?
Our clients who do receive severance pay at the end of a job often end up asking us the same question:
Is the amount I receive in severance pay deducted from unemployment benefits or can it disqualify me from receiving unemployment benefits at all?
However, if youre confused as to whether a payment you receive at the end of your employment is considered severance pay by the Kentucky Unemployment Insurance Commission, contact the Employment Law attorneys at Abney Law and schedule a free consultation today. And remember, failure to properly report wages and income to the Unemployment Commission can result in serious penalties, disqualification from benefits, repayment requirements, and, in some cases, criminal prosecution.
References
How To Qualify For Unemployment Benefits In Kentucky
In general, a claimant may be eligible for UI benefits if he or she meets the following requirements:
- The claimant is unemployed through no fault of his or her own
- The claimant has worked in Kentucky during the previous 12 months
- The claimant has earned a minimum amount of wages, as specified by Kentucky guidelines
- The claimant is actively seeking work
Individual determinations cannot be made until you submit an initial claim, so if youre not sure whether youre eligible for Kentucky unemployment assistance, you should apply and find out for certain.
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How To File A Claim For Unemployment Benefits In Kentucky
The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training is concerned with administering unemployment benefits to Kentucky workers. You may file your claim for unemployment benefits electronically or by phone. You can find contact information and online filing information at the Kentucky Career Center website.
Once the OET receives your application, it will send you information on your potential weekly benefit amount and how to claim your benefits.
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How Do I Manage My Unemployment Benefits
For each week you request an unemployment compensation payment, you will need to certify with the state of Kentucky that you remain within state eligibility requirements. You can do so online, using the same account you created when you submitted your initial claim.
The process is simple you just need to answer questions about your work-related activities for the previous week. For example, you can provide information about any wages youve earned, along with all your work search activities and whether you received or declined any offers for work.
To request your bi-weekly benefit payment by phone, call 877-3MY-KYUI or 877-369-5984.
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Where Kentucky Falls Short
The biggest problem with unemployment insurance before the pandemic began was that it didnt reach everyone who should be eligible for it, according to Dustin Pugel, a senior policy analyst at the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy.
Pugel said only 1 in 5 unemployed people actually receive unemployment benefits.
Unemployment insurance is now available to independent contractors or self-employed. Pugel says anybody who thinks they might qualify should apply anyway through the Kentucky Career Center website.
Dont filter yourself out, let them say yes or no. Its not going to replace the entirety of your wages but its going to let you stay afloat till you get back on your feet, Pugel said.
Though this isnt cause for worry in the short-term, Kentuckys unemployment insurance pool itself is not fully funded.
U.S. Department of Labor data show that Kentuckys trust fund carries an insolvency rate of 57 percent, meaning it has enough money to cover just over half of the maximum amount of scheduled payments. Only nine states have a lower solvency rate.
That doesnt mean there wont be money available for people who need it: states can borrow money from the federal government to pay unemployment insurance once their trust funds are depleted, and Kentucky did during the Great Recession.
The Kentucky legislature also took action to beef up unemployment benefits in Kentucky.
Lawmakers passed SB 150 on March 26.
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Who Is Behind The Fraud Activity
Kentucky officials said last week they dont know the source but suspect the sophisticated attack is the work of criminal individuals or enterprises that might originate from outside the United States.
Many states have been hit with fraud.
An estimated $89 billion may have been paid improperly in the U.S. since the start of the pandemic, with a significant portion connected to fraud, according to a March update from the Office of the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Labor.
Kansas shut down its system in January for a few days to implement new anti-fraud measures. Illinois residents have reported changed banking information for months. In January, California officials said more than $11 billion in benefits had been paid on fraudulent claims.
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Kentucky How To File Weekly Unemployment Claims
Posted: For biweekly claim forms, there may be two separate forms to be submitted for each week in the Kentucky benefit period. Be sure to submit both forms when filing a biweekly claim. #ADS# Before Submitting a Kentucky Weekly Claim. The deadline to submit a Kentucky unemployment claim form may vary depending on whether you are completing the form
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Expanded Unemployment In Kentucky During The Covid
President Biden signed into law a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill on March 11, 2021. This bill is referred to as the American Rescue Plan . As a result of this new ARP policy, the $300 per week federal unemployment supplement apart from whatever your state offers is extended until September 6, 2021.The law also expanded the two unemployment programs initially created by the CARES law in March 2020: pandemic unemployment benefits and pandemic emergency unemployment benefits .
As part of the PUA program, self-employed persons who are usually excluded from unemployment benefits are entitled to unemployment benefits. ARP provides unemployment benefits until Labor Day 2021 and increases the maximum duration of these benefits from 50 weeks to 79 weeks.
The PEUC program provides for the extension of federally funded benefits after state unemployment benefits expire. PEUC benefits last 24 to 53 weeks and end on September 4, 2021.
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How Long Does It Take To Get Unemployment In Kentucky
Once it is determined that you meet all of the Kentucky unemployment qualifications and are eligible for benefits, youll begin receiving weekly payments. You will not receive a payment for the first week in which your claim was made. This period is called a waiting week and no benefits are provided.
Kentucky unemployment benefits are paid for a maximum of 26 weeks, though a Kentucky unemployment extension may be put in place to increase this limit during times of high unemployment.
How To Get Cobra
Group health plans must give covered employees and their families a notice explaining their COBRA rights. Plans must have rules for how COBRA coverage is offered, how beneficiaries may choose to get it and when they can stop coverage. For more COBRA information, see COBRA Premium Subsidy. The page links to information about COBRA including:
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