Customer Service Representative - Onsite

Employment Benefits

• First day of employment coverage under the State’s comprehensive medical and prescription drug coverage and dental plan.
• Additional voluntary options including vision, hospital indemnity, accident and critical illness insurance plans and flexible spending accounts.
• Retirement and deferred compensation programs
• Sick & Vacation leave
• Work-Life Balance programs : parental leave, military leave, jury leave, funeral leave
• Paid State Holidays (designated by the Governor annually)
• Employee discounts with the STAR Program
• We celebrate employee appreciation and host socializing events

Visit the Employee Benefits page for more information

Position Summary & Responsibilities : Customer Service Representative

The Kansas Department of Labor (KDOL) is recruiting talented individuals to join our team as Customer Service Representatives (Program Specialists) in the Kansas Unemployment Insurance Contact Center in Topeka.

This position operates within an inbound call center environment, where you will have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of individuals seeking unemployment benefits.

What you’ll do :

• Assist claimants with their unemployment applications, answering questions, and providing technical support for online accounts.
• Utilize a call flow guide to assist with customer interactions while employing probing questions to understand claimants' needs.
• Maintain a high level of professionalism and empathy when dealing with individuals in challenging situations.

What’s in it for you :

• The contact center is open Monday through Friday, 8 : 00 a.m. and 4 : 30 p.m. We are not open evenings, weekends, or state holidays but we do occasionally offer overtime.
• These positions allow for a great work / life balance and harmony! We offer fun activities and a brand-new employee lounge area.
• Our contact center has a casual dress code. Jeans are acceptable attire.
• At the State of Kansas, we take care of our employees and listen to what they want. We provide a competitive benefits package that includes affordable health, dental, vision, prescription, and life insurance.

Additional benefits include telehealth, retirement plans, an employee discount program, and an employee assistance program available 24 / 7.

We also offer paid vacation and sick leave. For a list of all the State of Kansas Benefits, visit https : / / admin.ks.gov / offices / personnel-services / jobs / benefits.

Many of our call center openings are due to internal promotions! You will learn of many supervisors, managers, and directors who have all began in this position.

We encourage opportunities for career growth, professional development and advancement.

• We recognize great work with our Employee of the Month and Employee of the Quarter programs.
• We value our employees, listen to their suggestions and prioritize showing our appreciation to their hard work serving the State of Kansas.

Training :

Training for this position is paid, full time and five weeks long. It is critical new hires are available each day for the duration.

The next training class is scheduled to begin Monday, July 8, 2024.

Compensation :

• Starting pay is $16.94 / hour
• Pay increases at 3 months to $17.39 / hour
• Pay increases at 9 months to $17.79 / hour
• Pay increases at 18 months to $18.26 / hour
• Written and oral bi-lingual fluency may be eligible for a 5% pay increase upon completion of specific training.

Minimum Requirements :

• Kansas resident at time of employment.
• High School Diploma or equivalency.
• Applicants must demonstrate a strong attention to detail and accuracy in the preparation and submission of their application materials.
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Required Skills & Talents :

• The ability to multitask using multiple computer screens, programs, and browsers.
• Excellent attendance record. and the ability to work both independently and as a team.

Pre-Employment Requirements :

• Typing Test : average minimum typing speed of 35 WPM is required.
• Basic math assessment
• Pre-employment background screening
• The hybrid employee will be responsible for maintaining an internet connection. Our operating systems typically demand a minimum internet speed of 10 Mbps for downloads and 1 Mbps for uploads.

Should any performance issues arise, upgrading your internet speed may be necessary. Additionally, please note that our VPN is not compatible with AT&T fiber at this moment.

State of Kansas Tax Clearance Certificate. The successful applicant (even non-residents) must obtain a valid Kansas Certificate of Tax Clearance by accessing the Kansas Department of Revenue's website within 10 days of the date the applicant has been offered the employment position.

A Tax Clearance is a comprehensive tax account review to determine and ensure that an individual's account is compliant with all primary Kansas Tax Laws.

A Tax Clearance expires every 90 days. This is in accordance with Executive Order 2004-03. If you need assistance with the tax clearance, please contact (785) 296-3199.

Visit the Tax Clearance site for more information on and where to obtain this Kansas Department of Revenue document.

How to Apply :

• This job # 210684 is for consideration of the onsite position in Topeka. Job # 212981 is for consideration of the remote position for Kansas residents.
• Submit your completed application and résumé to be considered for an interview. Did you know our state workforce partners at KANSAS WORKS are available to help with a résumé critique before applying and a mock interview when you are ready?

Here are their statewide locations.

Salary : $17