How to File for Unemployment in Kentucky
How to apply for unemployment in Kentucky, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: File online through the Kentucky Career Center website (Unemployment Services, "File or Access Your Claim") or call (502) 564-2900, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Kentucky Career Center, Claimant FAQs; Kentucky Claimant Guide (PAM-UI-400, Rev. 02/26)
| How to apply | File online through the Kentucky Career Center website (Unemployment Services, "File or Access Your Claim") or call (502) 564-2900, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. You need your Social Security number, date of birth, contact details and 18 months of employer information, and you must verify your identity through ID.me. After filing, request benefit payments every two weeks online. |
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| Earnings needed to qualify | The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. To have a valid claim you need: (1) at least $1,500 in wages in at least one quarter; (2) total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter; (3) at least $1,500 in wages outside your highest quarter; and (4) wages in the last two quarters of at least eight times your weekly benefit rate. |
| Work search requirements | You must report five unique, verifiable work search activities each week, and at least three must be job applications or job interviews. Other activities can include job fairs, networking events and job search workshops. Keep proof for one year after your claim ends; if audited, you have 10 calendar days to respond. Union hiring hall members, people with a definite return-to-work date within 16 weeks, and people in a labor dispute are exempt. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | Kentucky unemployment claimants file or access their claim and request their bi-weekly benefits online through the Kentucky unemployment insurance claims portal (Kentucky Career Center, Office of Unemployment Insurance). Claimants who are exempt from work search requirements may instead request bi-weekly benefits through the voice response unit at 502-564-2900, which is also the claims line (Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern). Make sure you are on a ".ky.gov" website when filing. Claims portal linked from the page: https://uiclaimsportal.ky.gov/ |
Where to get help in Kentucky
More Kentucky unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Kentucky Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Kentucky
- Unemployment After Being Fired in Kentucky
- Unemployment After Quitting in Kentucky
- How Much Unemployment Pays in Kentucky
- All Kentucky unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in Kentucky?
File online through the Kentucky Career Center website (Unemployment Services, "File or Access Your Claim") or call (502) 564-2900, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. You need your Social Security number, date of birth, contact details and 18 months of employer information, and you must verify your identity through ID.me. After filing, request benefit payments every two weeks online.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in Kentucky?
The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters. To have a valid claim you need: (1) at least $1,500 in wages in at least one quarter; (2) total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter; (3) at least $1,500 in wages outside your highest quarter; and (4) wages in the last two quarters of at least eight times your weekly benefit rate.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in Kentucky?
You must report five unique, verifiable work search activities each week, and at least three must be job applications or job interviews. Other activities can include job fairs, networking events and job search workshops. Keep proof for one year after your claim ends; if audited, you have 10 calendar days to respond. Union hiring hall members, people with a definite return-to-work date within 16 weeks, and people in a labor dispute are exempt.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in Kentucky?
Kentucky unemployment claimants file or access their claim and request their bi-weekly benefits online through the Kentucky unemployment insurance claims portal (Kentucky Career Center, Office of Unemployment Insurance). Claimants who are exempt from work search requirements may instead request bi-weekly benefits through the voice response unit at 502-564-2900, which is also the claims line (Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Eastern). Make sure you are on a ".ky.gov" website when filing.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.