Today, technology is a critical part of delivering state services like unemployment insurance, but many states still rely on decades-old systems that struggle to meet demand. Like many agencies, the Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) reached a turning point when unemployment claims surged at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The legacy system, created in the 1970s, was unable to support the volume of claims and calls, causing delays in service and overburdening state staff. KDOL needed to not only stabilize its current unemployment insurance system but modernize it so it could become more agile and perpetually adaptive.
In today’s episode of the Government Technology Insider Podcast, guest host Monica Mayk of TCS – Tata Consultancy Services speaks with Amber Shultz, Secretary of Labor for the State of Kansas, about the state’s unemployment insurance modernization program. The landmark transformation, which now enables the state to better support Kansans during critical and vulnerable times, was honored with a 2025 State IT Recognition Award for Digital Experience: Agency and Program Solutions by the National Association of State CIOs (NASCIO). Secretary Shultz shares the story of KDOL’s transformation effort, the outcomes for constituents and state staff, and the four key factors that led her department to success.
“While every state faced unprecedented challenges during the pandemic, I think Kansas was unique in our response,” Shultz said. “We developed and maintained positive relationships with all of our stakeholders so they understood the need and the urgency, but more importantly, they believed in our strategy and that we were committed to a full-scale system implementation that would serve Kansans for years to come.”
Come back for part two of the conversation, in which Secretary Shultz explains how the Kansas unemployment insurance system is built to keep pace with Kansans’ needs today and tomorrow.
