Unemployment if you quit or were fired in Maryland

Quit, fired or refused work

If you quit

If you quit, you are disqualified unless you had good cause connected with the job or the employer's actions, or a "valid circumstance" (a substantial job-related reason, or a reason so necessitous or compelling that you had no reasonable choice but to leave). For health reasons you must give a written statement from a hospital or doctor.

Examples the state names:

• A cause directly connected with the conditions of employment or the actions of the employer
• Leaving a lower-paying job (less than half your old weekly wage) taken after a layoff, to attend an approved training program
• Domestic violence against you or your spouse, minor child or parent, if you reasonably believe staying would put someone in danger and you give a protective order, court order or police record
• Following a spouse in the uniformed services (or a civilian employee of the uniformed services) who is under a mandatory transfer

If you were fired

Being fired does not by itself stop benefits. Maryland law has three levels: misconduct, gross misconduct (deliberate and willful disregard of the employer's standards, or repeated rule violations), and aggravated misconduct (actual malice causing assault or serious property loss). MD Labor decides which, if any, applies.

If benefits are denied for the separation

Quitting without good cause: until you work again and earn at least 15 times your weekly benefit amount (5 to 10 weeks if MD Labor finds a valid circumstance). Misconduct: 10 to 15 weeks. Gross misconduct: until you earn at least 25 times your weekly benefit amount. Aggravated misconduct: until you earn at least 30 times your weekly benefit amount.

Refusing work

Refusing suitable work without good cause can stop benefits for 5 to 10 weeks, or until you work again and earn at least 10 times your weekly benefit amount.

Law: Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. secs. 8-1001, 8-1002, 8-1002.1, 8-1003, 8-1005

Official source: Source page

You usually must be unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states this means you lost your job because there was not enough work.

Able, available and looking for work

Job contacts per week: 3

Each week you must do at least 3 job search activities, and at least 1 must be a direct job contact with an employer (such as applying for a job or going to an interview). Record them in the Maryland Workforce Exchange before you file your weekly certification. Some people are exempt, such as people with a definite recall date within 10 weeks, union hiring-hall members, people in approved training and Work Sharing participants.

Records to keep

Use the Maryland Workforce Exchange Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log, or keep your own detailed record (employer, address, how you contacted them, person contacted, job title) and keep proof of other activities. MD Labor audits job searches, and benefits paid for a week without a valid job search must be repaid.

Law: Md. Code, Lab. & Empl. sec. 8-903

Official source: Source page

To be paid for a week, you must be able to work, available to work and actively seeking work.

Law: 42 U.S.C. 503(a)(12)

Noncitizens

What the state says

If you are not a U.S. citizen or national, have your alien registration number and its expiration date ready when you file.

Free help

Call 667-207-6520. Legal aid and other free help in Maryland → Official sources →