Amount And Duration Of Unemployment Benefits In Massachusetts
If you are eligible to receive unemployment, your weekly benefit in Massachusetts will be half of your average weekly wage during the two highest paid quarters of the base period . The most you can receive per week is currently $823. You can also receive an allowance of $25 per week for each dependent, up to a maximum of one-half of your weekly benefit amount. You generally may receive benefits for a maximum of 26 weeks, although extended benefits might be available during periods of high unemployment.
What If I Find Part
While searching for a job, you may have an opportunity to work part time or temporarily. This helps to keep your skills current and you may still be eligible for part of your benefit payment.
If you do any work while receiving unemployment benefits, you must report it when filing for your weekly benefit payment. This includes all part time work or paid training. You must report all the work you did the previous week, even if you have not yet been paid for it.
If you’re working part-time while receiving a partial UI benefit, you are still required to engage in three work search activities each week.
How To Calculate Your Unemployment Benefits Claim In Massachusetts
With the MA unemployment benefits claim, the amount of benefits the applicant is eligible to receive each week is called the weekly benefit amount. This weekly benefit amount is calculated at 50 percent of the applicants average weekly wage that was received during their base period. The weekly benefit amount cannot exceed the maximum amount allowed by law, which is currently set at $722 per week.
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Do I Qualify For Unemployment Benefits
To qualify for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts, you need to meet these requirements:
- You earned at least $5,100 during the last four completed calendar quarters leading up to your unemployment claim and 30 times the weekly benefit you’d be eligible to receive.
- You’re legally authorized to work in the U.S.
- You’re unemployed due to no fault of your own .
- You’re willing and able to start working again immediately.
How To Appeal A Denial Of Unemployment Benefits In Massachusetts
If your unemployment claim is denied, you have ten days to file appeal the decision to the Department of Unemployment Assistance. The Hearings Department will assign your case to a Review Examiner, who will hold a hearing and issue a decision. At the hearing, which may be held in person or by phone, you may testify, present witnesses, and offer other evidence.
If you don’t agree with the Review Examiner’s decision, you may appeal it to the Board of Review. And, if you don’t agree with the Board’s decision, you may file a lawsuit in state court.
For more information on the unemployment process, including current eligibility requirements and benefits amounts, visit the website of the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.
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What Information Is Required For Unemployment Registration In Massachusetts
To fill out the MA unemployment EDD application, the claimant will need to provide the following information:
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Home address, telephone number, and email address
- Paperwork showing a history of other UI claims filed in Massachusetts or in any other state during the past 12 months, if applicable
- The names, addresses and dates worked for all employers during the past 15 months. If the application is a re-opened unemployment claim, then this information should cover any employment the applicant has had since the claim was last active
- Military discharge papers, such as form DD-214 or member 4 if separated from the military service with any branch of the U.S. armed forces within the past 18 months
- If employed by the federal government within the past 18 months, the SF-8 and/or SF-50 form given by the government employer at the time of separation
- The reason why the applicant is no longer working or why working hours have been reduced
- The names, dates of birth, and Social Security numbers of any children that applicant plans to claim as a dependent
- Alien registration number or verification that the applicant was legally eligible to work in the United States, and that he or she is currently eligible to begin a new job
- Bank account number and routing and transit numbers if the applicant would like to receive payment by direct deposit
What Is A Work Search Requirement
An important part of unemployment insurance is to become re-employed by actively searching for a full-time job. Work search requirements will be reinstated for claimants effective the week of June 15, 2021. Claimants will be required to attest each week that they are completing at least three work-search activities per week and provide proof of work search activity to the Department of Unemployment Assistance if requested. Under the work search requirements, claimants will need to keep a detailed written log of their work search activities. Claimants may also be called upon to attend a Career Center related activity and will be required to bring printed completed copies of their work search activity logs.
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How Can I Qualify For Massachusetts Unemployment Benefits
To qualify for unemployment insurance, you need to meet both federal and state-level requirements. If youre unemployed, the federal rules say it must be through no fault of your own. The federal rules also say you must meet Massachusetts wage and work requirements, which include the following:
- Youve earned at least $5,100 during the past four consecutive quarters.
- Your earnings are 30 times the weekly benefit you expect to collect .
- Youre legally allowed to work in the United States.
- Youre out of work or had your hours significantly reduced through no fault of your own.
- Youre willing to work again once you find a suitable job.
Massachusetts also has weekly eligibility requirements. Every week, you must be actively looking for work and available and physically able to work.
You also may have to complete mandatory seminars through one of the DUAs Career Centers to stay eligible for unemployment benefits.
Massachusetts Unemployment Registration Process
After petitioners apply for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts, DUA sends a request to all employers listed on the claim for information regarding past wages and reasons for employment termination. Each employer has 10 days to respond. If the employer does not respond within 10 days, DUA may contact the applicant or the employer again for any missing wage information.
Once the employee wage and termination information is complete, DUA calculates the amount of benefits the applicant will receive and how long the applicant will be eligible to receive them. Once the claimant has applied for benefits, he or she must continue to request to renew benefits every week that he or she is unemployed or working reduced hours. If eligible, the applicant will receive payments for the weeks that were previously claimed, except for the one-week waiting period. If the claimant does not request benefits while the claim is being processed, then he or she may not be eligible to receive benefits for those weeks. If there are no issues with the claim, DUA will issue the first benefit payment in three to four weeks.
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How Much Might I Get
Your weekly benefit amount will be about half of the average weekly amount you made during a designated time frame called a base period up to a maximum of $823 per week. The primary base period that the state typically uses to decide weekly payments for most people is the four quarters before you file a claim.
For example, lets say you earned the following amounts for the past four quarters:
- Quarter 1: $7,800
- Quarter 3: $8,840
- Quarter 4: $10,000
The state allows you to take a weekly average from your top two quarters. To figure out your benefit, add the two quarters with the highest earnings and divide the total by 26 weeks.
1. Add the two quarters with the highest earnings.
$8,840 + $10,000 = $18,840
2. Divide the total by 26 weeks.
$18,840 / 26 weeks = $724.61 average weekly wage
3. Divide the result by 2 to get your weekly benefit amount.
$724.61 / 2 = $362 weekly benefit
Again, during recessions or other difficult economic times, its possible these maximums can change.
If You Are Ui Eligible You Need To Submit A Pua Claim
If you are eligible for regular user interface, please do not log ina PUA Cheers at this time. If you applied for accepted UIa Please note that you have $0in Benefits available, please visitStep 1in Unemployment benefits what to do. After the service, please go to the authorization step by step process.
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How Do I Apply For Unemployment Benefits
You can apply for unemployment benefits online via the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance. You can apply for benefits during your first week or partial week of unemployment. Most claims are processed within 21 to 28 days after they’re filed, so keep this lag in mind.
You’ll also need to provide information that includes:
- Your Social Security number or Alien Registration Number
- Details of your work history over the past 15 months — employer name, address, and last day of employment
- The reason for your separation from your last employer
- Your bank account details, if you wish to have your unemployment benefits deposited directly into achecking account
Do You Meet The Minimum Earnings Requirement
Like every state, Massachusetts looks at your recent work history and earnings during a one-year “base period” to determine your eligibility for unemployment. . In Massachusetts, as in most states, the base period is the earliest four of the five complete calendar quarters before you filed your benefits claim. For example, if you file your claim in April of 2020, the base period would be from January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019.
To qualify for benefits in Massachusetts, you must meet both of the following criteria:
- You must have earned at least $3,500 during the base period.
- Your total base period earnings must be at least 30 times your weekly benefit amount.
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Are You Available And Actively Searching For Work
To keep collecting unemployment benefits, you must be able to work, available to work, and looking for employment. If you’re offered a suitable position, you must accept it.
Whether a position is suitable depends on how similar the job is to your previous employment, how much you will be paid, the working conditions, and the skills, experience, and training required for the position. The longer you remain unemployed, the more likely you will have to take work that is outside your field, pays less than your previous position, or requires a longer commute.
You must conduct an active search for work, engaging in at least three work search activities on three separate days of each week. You must keep detailed records of your work search activities, which you may have to provide to the DUA.
Check Eligibility For Unemployment Benefits
Most Massachusetts workers are covered by the Unemployment Insurance program, although workers in some jobs may not be eligible for benefits.
If youre self-employed, a contractor, or otherwise not traditionally eligible for Unemployment Insurance benefits, you may be eligible for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance . If youre unemployed due to the COVID-19 public health emergency, and are able and available to work, learn more about PUA.
When you apply for Unemployment Insurance , your initial eligibility for benefits is based on your earnings and your reason for leaving your job. Ongoing eligibility requirements include being able to work, available for work, and actively searching for work.
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To Apply You Will Need The Following Information:
- Your Social Security number, birth date, home address, email address, and phone number
- Your work history for the last 15 months, including the legal names, addresses, and phone numbers of all your employers, and your work start and end dates
TIP: Your paycheck or W-2 will show your employers legal name.
- If you have dependent children: Their legal birth dates and Social Security numbers.
- To receive payments by direct deposit, youll also need your bank name, account number, and routing number. Otherwise, DUA will send you a debit card.
TIP: If your application is approved, your first payment will be mailed to you as a paper check. After that, payments will be sent to you by direct deposit or by debit card, depending on the method you chose in your application. The fastest way to receive payments is to set up direct deposit.
You may need to provide additional information if you are not a U.S. citizen, are in a union, were in the military, or worked for the federal government.
How To Get Cobra
Group health plans must give covered employees and their families a notice explaining their COBRA rights. Plans must have rules for how COBRA coverage is offered, how beneficiaries may choose to get it and when they can stop coverage. For more COBRA information, see COBRA Premium Subsidy. The page links to information about COBRA including:
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How To Apply Apply For Unemployment Benefits
Online
To file a claim online, you must create an account on the UI Online portal. Please follow the steps below to create your UI Online account. For additional tutorials, please
If you have previously filed for unemployment benefits and forgot your password:
1. Follow these instructions to reset your UI Online password.
You can also apply for unemployment benefits or get help with your application by calling the TeleClaim Center. The number you call depends on your area code:
- 626-6800 from area codes 351, 413, 508, 774, and 978
- 626-6800 from any other area code
- 711 for Voice Relay
The TeleClaim Center hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
- Claimants who have exhausted their claim with a benefit year end date on or after 7/6/2019 are potentially eligible for PEUC.
- PEUC offers an additional 53 weeks of benefits to individuals at their former weekly benefit amount, plus dependents, if applicable. The PEUC program will conclude the week ending September 4, 2021.
- The first week a claimant can be eligible for PEUC is the week beginning 3/29/2020.
- For most claimants, the last payable week of PEUC is the week ending 9/4/2021.
- If the UI claim has expired, a claimant must file a new regular UI claim prior to filing for PEUC.
- If a claimant has been receiving regular UI benefits and those benefits are exhausted, PEUC will automatically begin, and the claimant does not have to take any further action.
- Claimants who were receiving Section 30 benefits will be automatically transferred to receive PEUC benefits.
Beginning on Monday, April 20, 2020, Massachusetts workers will be able to complete a PUA application by visiting . Applicants will need to provide the following information:
- Your social security number
- If you are not a citizen of the United States, your alien registration number
- Your residential address
- Your mailing address
- Your telephone number
- Your wage records for 2019, which includes:
- 1099 forms
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What If My Claim Is Rejected
After responding to the DUAs questionnaire, youll receive a non-monetary determination, which includes the acceptance or rejection of unemployment benefits. If your application is rejected, you have 10 calendar days to file an appeal through this form. After the DUA receives your appeal, youll have the opportunity for a hearing. Youll receive a written decision from the review examiner within two to four weeks of the hearing.
Calculate Your Unemployment Compensation
Start by identifying your total wages in each of the last four complete quarters you worked. Now identify the two highest numbers. As an example, we’ll say you earned $7,500 in one quarter and $9,000 in the other. Add these together, and you come up with $16,500.
Divide this number by 26, because each of those quarters covered 13 weeks. This results in your average weekly earnings. Using $16,500, it works out to $634.61.
Massachusetts pays unemployment compensation at the rate of about 50 percent of your average weekly wage, so your weekly benefit amount would be half this, or $317.30. You can round it up to the next dollar, which works out to $318.
Now let’s assume that you’re a single parent supporting two young children. You can add another $50 if you and they qualify. That’s less than half of $318, so you can add that $50 to your weekly benefit amount to arrive at $368.
The state provides a Massachusetts unemployment calculator on its website to give you an “advisory” estimate of what you’re entitled to if you’d prefer to skip the math.
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Important Unemployment Benefits Information
The center is open beginning Aug. 2, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Visit Mass.gov/DUA or call for help with services the REC does not offer.
Guidance On CARES Act Implementation:
Find out more information about the new public benefit programs that will expand unemployment eligibility temporarily increase weekly benefits for all claimants and allow additional categories of people to claim unemployment benefits:
