The Kansas Department of Labor and the Legislature s auditing division are at odds over how much money has been paid out in fraudulent unemployment claims, with a new estimate released Wednesday saying that as much as $600 million in bogus payments were made last year.
Initial findings from a report issued by the Division of Post Audit used KDOL figures that showed 157,000 claims had been flagged as potentially fraudulent, roughly 24% of the total claims filed in 2020.
The analysis showed roughly $200 million for fraudulent claims came out of the state s regular unemployment program, with the remaining $400 million coming out of federal programs set up during the COVID-19 pandemic to help those without work.