Governor Laura Kelly Kicks Off Reemployment Program, Visits Workforce Center

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly today visited Lenexa’s KANSASWORKS center to celebrate the relaunch of Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment Program (RESEA) and the return of in-person consultations in order to better serve the specific needs of Kansans looking for work. 

“Kansans are getting back to school and back to work. Just last week we learned the unemployment rate is back to a pre-pandemic, record-low, 3.2%,” Governor Kelly said. “But despite the good numbers, we know there are many people who still struggle to re-enter the workforce. Today we re-launched in-person consultations at KANSASWORKS centers, to connect Kansans with employers and the more than 40,000 open jobs across the state.”

Kansas has over 40,000 active job openings. The counties with the largest concentration of active job openings are Johnson, Wyandotte, Sedgwick, Shawnee, Saline, Douglas and Riley County.

Top sectors for job postings include: Trade, Transportation, logistics, Health Services, Professional and Business Services, Manufacturing, Financial Services, Hospitality, Construction, Service Sector (not including government), Information Tech, Government (includes education and local government).

As Kansas continues to rebound from the pandemic, Governor Kelly requested that Workforce Centers should once again be open to the public. Strict cleanliness and sanitation standards will be in place in each center to ensure the safety of visitors and employees.

The specific health and safety needs for each region are different, therefore each local area will have its own schedule/process for reopening. These reopening phases have been created in partnership with the five Local Workforce Development Boards.

“We’re making sure that all Kansans have access to vital workforce services, and we’re doing it safely,” Lieutenant Governor and Commerce Secretary David Toland said. “By leaning on the expertise of our state’s Local Workforce Development Boards, we’re tailoring each region’s reopening plan to its specific needs. That way, decisions on best practices can be done locally, not top-down. I’m very grateful to the Local Workforce Development Boards for their leadership and partnership.”

Descriptions for all five local workforce areas, as well as each region’s reopening process, are as follows:

Local Area I: Effective April 19, all Local Area I locations will be fully open according to the location schedule below.  Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.

Locations/current schedule:

• Hays, Salina, and Hutchinson – Five days per week, by appointment
• Garden City – Three days per week, by appointment
• Great Bend and Dodge City – One day per week, by appointment
• Colby/Goodland, Liberal, Newton – One day per week, in person or by appointment

Local Area II: Effective April 5, all Local Area II locations will be open to the public Monday through Friday. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.

• Topeka
• Lawrence
• Manhattan
• Junction City

Local Area III: All Local Area III locations are currently open to the public five days per week.  Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.

• Wyandotte County (Kansas City)
• Johnson County (Lenexa)
• Leavenworth County (Leavenworth)

Local Area IV: Effective May 3, all Local Area IV locations will be open to the public Monday through Friday. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.

Locations/Phased reopening schedule:

• Wichita, El Dorado – Phase 1 (Effective April 5)
  • Open to public on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  • By appointment Monday, Tuesday (morning) Wednesday (morning), Thursday (morning), all day Friday

• Wichita, El Dorado – Phase 2 (effective April 19)
  • Open to the public Monday through Thursday, 10-4 p.m.
  • By appointment Friday

Local Area V: All Local Area V locations are currently open to the public five days per week.  Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are welcome.

• Emporia
• Chanute
• Independence
• Pittsburg
• Paola

All Workforce Centers in the state will be fully reopened effective May 3. Services will also  continue to be made available virtually. Please contact your closest Workforce Center to schedule an appointment.

Contact information for each Workforce Center can be found here.