Can I get Unemployment Insurance?

Most workers in Massachusetts are covered by Unemployment Insurance. Getting Unemployment Insurance usually depends on three things:

1. How much money did you earn at your job?
2. Why did you leave your job?
3. Are you ready and able to get another job?

How much money did you earn at your job in the last year?

To get Unemployment Insurance, you must have earned at least $5,700 in the last year, and you must have worked for at least 15 weeks in the last year (in most cases). The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) looks at how much you earned during the time they call a “base period”. During the base period, you must have earned at least $5,100. You can find out your base period by looking at the table below.   Sometimes, the base periods listed below work out so that it looks like you cannot get unemployment insurance. Sometimes the DUA, will use an “alternate base period” that gives a better idea of your most recent earnings. You can find out more about base periods and alternate base periods on the DUA’s webpage Understanding Your Base Period & Benefit Year.

Why did you leave your job?

Not everyone who loses his or her job can get Unemployment Insurance. To get Unemployment Insurance  benefits, you must have wanted to keep your job or tried to keep it. In other words, losing your job was out of your control.

Example

The company you work for goes out of business. It is not your fault that you no longer have a job. You should be able to get unemployment benefits.

If you quit, you may still be able to get Unemployment Insurance. You will need to show you had a good reason to quit your job and that you took reasonable steps to try and keep your job.

If you were fired because you could not do your job, you may be able to get Unemployment Insurance, as long as you did not break any rules at word on purpose.

Are you ready and able to work and are you looking for a new job?

The DUA only gives unemployment benefits to people who are ready and able to work. To get benefits, you must also  look for work. To keep getting benefits, you need to tell DUA how you have searched for a job. You must “certify” your job search every week.  You can certify your job search either by computer “webcert” or by telephone “telecert.”You can keep a log of your work search activities each week. A sample log is available on DUA's website.

Domestic Violence

If you quit or lose your job because of domestic violence, you may be able to get unemployment benefits. You may need to explain to DUA that you or your children are victims of domestic violence, and that you lost or quit your job due to the domestic violence.

You do not have to tell your employer about the domestic violence.

If you or your children have suffered domestic violence and you are in danger right now, call 911. If you are not in immediate danger, you can phone SafeLink 1-877-785-2020, or Casa Myrna Vasquez 1-800-992-2600 for help with all kinds of problems.

COVID-19 and Unemployment Benefits

During part of 2020 and 2021, there were additional unemployment benefits because of the COVID-19 pandemic.  These benefits ended for most people on September 4, 2021.  You can learn more about these other benefits on DUA's website.

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)

Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) was a new program created during the COVID-19 pandemic. PUA gave benefits to workers that were excluded from regular unemployment insurance (UI) and who lost work or a job offer because of COVID-19. Even though PUA ended for most people on September 4, 2021, some people in Massachusetts might still be able to apply retroactively for PUA. To be eligible to apply retroactively for PUA, you must have:

• Applied for regular unemployment insurance (UI) before October 4, 2021, and
• Been denied regular UI after October 4, 2021.

You must call DUA, 877-626-6800, to apply for PUA.  

Learn more about PUA on DUA's website.

Common PUA Issues and Requesting Redeterminations

If you were approved for PUA, DUA may have later determined that you were ineligible. Common issues with PUA claims include:

• COVID-19 Eligibility;
• Employment Substantiation;
• Identity Verification;
• Potential UI Eligibility.

If you received PUA benefits for weeks in 2021, DUA will ask you to provide documents to show that you worked or planned to work at some point between the tax year before you filed for PUA and the start date of your PUA application. You can satisfy this “employment substantiation” requirement by providing documents like tax returns, W-2s, or 1099s. The documents can be about any job during this time and do not need to be about your job that was affected by COVID-19.  

If you disagree with a PUA determination, you have 30 days to file an appeal. If you lose at the hearing, you can ask the Board of Review to review your case. If the Board does not agree to review or reverse the determination, you can appeal to District Court.

If you have exhausted or used up your appeal rights or if you did not file an appeal in time, you can write to the Director of the DUA, Department of Unemployment Assistance, 19 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114 and ask him/her to "redetermine the decision under Section 71 of the law." Typically you have one year from the date of the original decision to ask for a redetermination, but the one-year deadline has been extended until August 1, 2022.

For more information on requesting a waiver of an overpayment see Has the DUA asked you to return money they paid you?