LEGISLATIVE POST AUDIT COMMITTEE VOTES TO INVESTIGATE UNEMPLOYMENT SHORTFALLS DURING COVID PANDEMIC

Legislative Post Audit Committee

TOPEKA- The Legislative Post Audit committee today approved an audit of the Kansas Department of Labor’s unemployment response since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Thousands of unemployed Kansans were let down by the safety net designed to protect them during this unforeseen setback. We, as a legislature, have a duty to our constituents to get to the bottom of this problem and I thank the committee for the unanimous support,” said Post Audit Committee Chair Senator Julia Lynn.  

“I am very interested to see what this audit uncovers, particularly from the ‘boots on the ground’ employees who work day in and day out processing claims,” continued Senator Lynn. 

The audit will occur in two phases. The first will be a limited-scope survey, focusing on direct, confidential and anonymous feedback from DOL employees.  The second phase will be a broad scope investigation into factors contributing to delays in claims processing, steps taken by the DOL to address those delays and potential federal resources or oversight of the DOL. 

Both phases of the audit will begin simultaneously, and results should be available within five months. 

Audio of the Legislative Post Audit Committee can be found on the Legislature’s website by clicking here or by going to www.kslegislature.org and clicking on the Audio/Video link then looking on today’s date within the “Statehouse Live and Archive” drop down.