Kansas Department of Labor seeing increase in calls, struggling family speaks out

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Phones ringing off the hook without an answer. Every day, 2,500 people call the Kansas Department of Labor with questions about unemployment, but only 17% of those calls get picked up.

Wichitan, Nathan Price has been trying to help his mother-in-law file for unemployment after she was laid off earlier this month. After troubles with the website, they began calling trouble. He said that just trying to reach someone for help had become a nightmare. 

“It’s just a bit frustrating because you kind of want to get your benefits request going because you’re out of work, and you need the money now, not later,” said Price. 

Price said he and his mother-in-law had been calling, over and over again, for hours, unable to reach anyone on the other end. 

“Listening to these lengthy prerecorded messages, just to get to the end of it and to be told, we’re sorry, all agents are busy, thanks, bye, click, hang up on you,” said Price. 

The Kansas Secretary of Labor, Amber Shultz, said an increase in calls due to seasonal layoffs is partially to blame for their answer rate dropping from 65% to 17% currently. However, Shultz said, the main problem is their dated technology. 

“Our system is from the 1970s, so text messages, the Walkman, Diet Coke are more modern than our system. I mean, our customer service agents, they don’t use a mouse,” said Shultz.

The new $43 million system is being installed, but it will take 26 months to build. It should be able to replace the old system this summer, or early fall. Shultz is hopeful it will fix several issues.

“It’s going to be a much, much better experience for folks. There will be a lot of ability to do self-service, you won’t have to call the call center,” said Shultz. 

In the meantime, it leaves Price’s mother-in-law and others like her in limbo.  

“This is going to be kind of hopeless for her this week. She’s just going to have to call, all week long, and hope that she’s one of the people that gets through,” said Price. 

KDOL’s secretary gives a little bit of advice for callers. She said to start dialing a little before they open at 8 a.m. She also said to avoid Monday and Tuesday, if possible, as they are less busy later in the week.