LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear and Josh Benton with the education and workforce development cabinet said--they already know the process is flawed!
In a regular work day, with no pandemic, they're answering roughly 1200 calls a day with 12 people. They've now revamped the call center to include 120 workers answering between 80 thousand to 200 thousand calls a day!
According to the US Department of labor website they have 3 things they say qualify you under this pandemic for unemployment:
- Your employer closes because of the pandemic.
- You're quarantined but expected to go back to work
- You leave because of risk of exposure or are caring for your family
Kentucky and Indiana have moved the filing process to online only. It could take up to 21 business days before you're seeing a check if everything goes well with the claim, according to the website.
Information you should have handy when you apply
To fill out an unemployment claim, you will need the following information:
- Driver’s license
- Social security number
- Dates of employment
- Your employer’s information.
With the record number of people applying for unemployment, Kentucky has alphabetized their system. Here's what day you should apply based on the first letter of your last name:
- Sunday - A-D
- Monday - E-H
- Tuesday - I-L
- Wednesday - M-P
- Thursday - Q-U
- Friday - V-Z
- Friday: Open to anyone who missed their day.
You can apply for unemployment benefits through the Kentucky Career Center by calling 502-875-0442. Office hours are Monday - Friday, 7:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. You can also call toll-free 800-648-6057 for telecommunications relay service. Only call if you're having trouble with your claim or if you need new pin.
You can also apply online. You will be given an online form and the website will walk you through the process. Make sure you answer all of the required questions so your claim will go through properly.
Website hours:
Monday-Friday - 7 AM - 7 PM ET
Sunday - 10 AM - 9 PM ET
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware of fake unemployment filing websites designed to steal your personal information or charge you a fee.
- Make sure you are on a “.ky.gov” website when filing a Kentucky unemployment insurance claim.
- KCC services are free.
- KCC will never charge a fee.
- Only trust unemployment insurance-related emails that are sent from an @ky.gov address. Example: Firstname.Lastname@ky.gov
Here's the list of employers that have filed E-claims on your behalf, according to KCC's website.
Indiana Department of Workforce Development
All Indiana unemployment claim applications must be filled out online, either on a computer or smartphone. You can find the application here.
DWD is requesting that individuals only reach out with questions on the day corresponding with the first letter of their last name to assist with wait times. Here is the schedule:
- Monday: A-E
- Tuesday: F-I
- Wednesday: J-M
- Thursday: N-T
- Friday: U-Z
- Friday: If You Missed Your Day
Contact methods are:
- Email at AskUIContactCenter@dwd.IN.gov
- Phone at 1-800-891-6499
If you have questions about the process, you can call the Benefit Call Center at 1-800-891-6499. Due to high call volume, there may be a wait before someone is able to answer your call.
Here is a link to an FAQ on Unemployment Insurance.
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