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Unemployment Insurance
- AN OVERVIEW -
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Unemployment insurance is a government program that gives temporary cash payments to workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. The Division of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is in charge of this program in Massachusetts.
Most Massachusetts workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own are covered by unemployment insurance. You are not eligible if you were fired from your job for a good reason, or if you quit your job by your own choice. To get benefits, you must be looking for a job or taking part in an approved job training program. You may get partial benefits if you work part-time while looking for a new full-time job .
 On November 9, 2009, Congress passed legislation that extends federal unemployment benefits an additional 14 weeks in all states. States with unemployment rates 8.5% or higher get an extra 6 weeks beyond the 14 week extension. As long as Massachusetts unemployment remains high, workers may be eligible for up to 99 weeks of unemployment benefits. |
Standard unemployment insurance gives you cash benefits for a maximum of 30 weeks. The federal government extends these benefits during times of high unemployment. The amount you get depends on how much you were earning before you lost your job. In general, you will get about half of your average pay, up to the benefit limit. Many unemployed workers qualify for health insurance benefits through the Medical Security Plan. You can also get help finding a new job or training for a new career.
You may apply for unemployment insurance in person or by phone. If you apply in person, go to the Unemployment Walk-In Center in your city or town. For a list of locations, see the Walk-In Center Listing on the Massachusetts Department of Workforce Development (DWD) web site. If you want to apply by phone, call the TeleClaim Center at 1-877-626-6800 for area codes 351, 413, 508, 774, and 978; or 617-626-6800 for all other area codes.
If you are eligible for unemployment insurance, you can choose to get your benefits by check or by direct deposit. To claim your benefits, you must file a weekly report with the DUA saying that you are ready to work and have been looking for a job that week. You must also let DUA know if you are working part-time and how much money you are making. You can file your reports by phone, by using the Internet, or by mail.
Links to other web sites with information about the Massachusetts unemployment insurance program.
Unemployment Insurance section last updated on 11/13/09
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