Unemployment Benefits
This page contains information on unemployment resources, such as unemployment insurance relief, benefits, workers' compensation, welfare or temporary assistance, and other unemployment programs and services
Helpful Resources
How to file for unemployment insurance relief and what assistance is needed form the employer.
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How to apply for unemployment benefits, workers’ compensation, welfare or temporary assistance, and other unemployment programs and services.
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Job opportunities and information on unemployment insurance.
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Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) provides up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who are unable to work because of a COVID-19-related reason but are not eligible for regular or extended unemployment benefits.
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SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as food stamps), gives individuals and families money to buy food at grocery stores, convenience stores, and certain farmers markets. You have the right to apply for SNAP any time you need help.
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Unemployment assistance is available to all of those who lost their jobs due to COVID-19. If you don't qualify for unemployment assistance, you should also try Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).
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Unemployment Insurance
As of April 20, 2020, our state’s Department of Unemployment Assistance has issued an update:
- The Department has already begun implementing the FPUC program for regular UI claimants. The $600 will be added to all eligible weeks of benefits retroactive to March 29, 2020 and continuing until July 31, 2020. The disbursements will begin immediately in Massachusetts for those who are currently collecting benefits on regular UI claims.
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- Next Steps For Claimants: Eligible claimants who are already receiving UI do not need to do anything for the additional $600 to be added to their weekly benefit amount. This benefit will be available for all new claimants filing for regular Unemployment Compensation as well, which can be done here.
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) - For Individuals Not Covered Under Traditional Unemployment Insurance (Self-Employed, Gig Economy Workers, Others):
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- If you are self-employed, 1099 contractors, gig workers, DUA now has an application available for you. PUA will provide up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who are not working as a result of COVID-19 and are self-employed, independent contractors, gig economy workers, and others who otherwise would not qualify for regular UI.
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- Next Steps For Claimants: Eligible claimants should apply by visiting the webpage here.
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- Eligible claimants will receive this benefit backdated to February 2, 2020, or the first week a claimant was unable to work as a result of COVID-19, whichever is more recent.
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) - For Individuals Who Exhausted Previous UI Benefits:
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- A 13-week extension of benefits for individuals who exhausted their previous benefits – is not yet available as DUA continues to await federal implementation guidance.
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- Next Steps For Claimants: No action at this time. Eligible claimants should continue to check for updates, which will be made available as soon as the state receives information from the federal government.
Please refer to the State’s Department of Unemployment Insurance for details on the updates on when the UI benefits will be available included in the Federal stimulus.
Unemployment Insurance Application
Visit the state’s Department of Unemployment Assistance here to apply. Application is available daily from 6am-10pm. The fastest way is to apply online, but if you need assistance, you can also fill out the contact form here or call 617-626-6800 or 877-626-6800 (Spanish and Portuguese assistance available). There is also a step-by-step guide on how to apply.
- Social Security Number
- Alien Registration Number (if applicable)
- Residential Address
- Mailing Address
- Phone Number
- Email Address
- Date of Birth
- Most recent 15 months of employment history, including employer’s names, address, phone number, reason for separation from job, and worker’s start and end dates of work
- Social Security Number and Date of Birth for Dependents (if applicable)
- Bank Account Number and Routing Number for direct deposit (recommended)
If you need assistance, you can go directly to the state’s Department of Unemployment Assistance Office’s website and fill out the contact form here or call 617-626-6800 or 877-626-6800 (Spanish and Portuguese assistance available).
You can also call the Greater Boston Legal Services at 617-603-1639 (all languages) or 617-603-1530 (Spanish).
You can also get in touch with the Lawyers for Civil Rights by filling out the form here.
Yes, if you are a non-citizen but have work authorization, you are eligible to receive UI benefits. Getting UI benefits does not count as a public charge. It does not affect your immigration status.
For those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS), the USCIS has extended through January 4, 2021, the validity of certain TPS-related documentation (Employment Authorization Documents; Forms I-797, Notice of Action; and Forms I-94, Arrival/Departure Record) for beneficiaries under the TPS designations for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan, provided that the affected beneficiaries remain individually eligible for TPS. For more information visit USCIS website here.
If your company is shut-down due to coronavirus, if your employer reduced your work hours for any reason including coronavirus, if you were laid-off temporarily due to coronavirus but were asked to return when business picks up, if you are quarantined or self-quarantined by employer/government order/medical professional; if you are at home caring for a family member who are quarantined or sick, you left work because your child’s school/daycare closed - please contact the DUA to apply for UI benefits.
You will get approximately half of your average weekly wage with the maximum amount of $823 a week. You will also be eligible for $25 per week for each dependent child up to the amount that is half of your UI check. The new stimulus package also allows you to collect additional $600 per week until July 31, 2020.
You will receive UI for 39 weeks (26 weeks state benefits + 13 weeks of federal benefits) depending on the amount of time you worked and how much you earned before you applied for UI.
CARES ACT: UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE (UI) EXPANSION
The federal stimulus package signed by President Trump on March 27, 2020, called the CARES Act, expands eligibility for workers who traditionally have not had access to UI including those who are self employed, independent contractors, and gig economy workers called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. If you are self-employed, a 1099 contractor, or a gig economy worker, you are now eligible to receive UI, given that you meet all of the eligibility requirements.
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{UPDATED April 20, 2020} If you are self-employed, a 1099 contractor, or a gig worker, DUA now has an application available for you. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) will provide up to 39 weeks of unemployment benefits to individuals who are not working as a result of COVID-19 and are self-employed, independent contractors, gig economy workers, and others who otherwise would not qualify for regular UI. Eligible claimants should apply by visiting the webpage here.
Please visit the website here that provides you with a checklist to see if you are covered under PUA.
You can apply over the phone by calling 1-877-626-6800, available both in Spanish and Portuguese. Filing for PUA benefits by phone is based on the last digit of your Social Security Number. If your SSN ends:
- 0 or 1, file on Monday
- 2 or 3, file on Tuesday
- 4, 5, or 6, file on Wednesday
- 7, 8, 9, file on Thursday
- Any number file on Friday
- The date you had to stop working - they ask when COVID-19 first impacted you. You can get benefits payments back to Feb 2, 2020, so this date is important.
- Your Social Security Number
- If you are not a US citizen, the number the immigration service gave you called “USCIS Issued Identification Number”
- Your home address
- Your mailing address