KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A record number of people are seeking unemployment benefits across the U.S. because of COVID-19.
Thursday morning, the U.S. Department of Labor announced 6 million people filed for unemployment in the past week, bringing the national total to 16 million in three weeks.
According to the Kansas Department of Labor, over 50,000 unemployment insurance claims were filed in the week of April 4. Around the same time last year, over 1,400 claims were filed.
Kansas Secretary of Labor Delia Garcia explained the record number of people seeking help is causing a strain on the state's aging computer system and there's high volumes on the web and phone lines.
"It was one Monday, 877,000 attempted calls and we're trying to reserve that phone line for people who do not have internet, people in the military, people who are not English speakers and people who have moved to Kansas in the last 18 months. That's who the line is reserved for," explained Secretary Garcia.
The labor secretary advised people go online to https://www.getkansasbenefits.gov to file claims and get questions answered.
"We understand that everyone is frustrated just like we're frustrated to be able to answer you all, but the website has the most information. The website is where people can file and that's why we're trying to get as many people to use the website," Garcia explained.
In Missouri, the department of labor also encourages people to file claims online. The state said the website is available 24/7.
Missouri residents can file online at https://uinteract.labor.mo.gov/benefits
