How to file for unemployment in Massachusetts

The online claim is usually the fastest way. Here is what to have ready, when your claim starts and what comes after you file.

All about unemployment in Massachusetts

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Filing, step by step

Apply online through Unemployment Services for Workers, or by phone at 1-877-626-6800, Monday to Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. You can also get help in person at the Boston Re-Employment Center by appointment.

When to file and when your claim starts

Apply as soon as you lose your job or your hours are cut. Your benefit year starts on the Sunday of the week you file. Start filing a weekly claim the week after you apply, even while DUA is still reviewing your application.

What to have ready

Your Social Security number, birth date, home address, email address and phone number
Social Security numbers and birth dates of any dependents
Driver's license or state ID number and expiration date, if you have one
Bank account and routing number if you want direct deposit
For each recent employer: name, address, phone number, start and end dates, and why you left
Your recall date, if you were laid off with a date to return
Military: discharge papers (DD-214 Member-4). Federal workers: SF-50 and SF-8
If you are not a U.S. citizen: papers that show you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Certify (claim your weeks)

How often: Weekly. Request benefits for each week online or by calling the TeleCert line at 617-626-6338 (daily, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.). You can file for the past week starting on Sunday. Each week you report your work search, any work and gross pay, and whether you are able and available to work. If you miss a week, you have up to 21 days to file for it. If you do not file for 3 weeks in a row, your claim closes, but you can reopen it.

Your first payment

Most applications are processed in about 4 weeks. Once you are approved, payments usually go out about 2 business days after you file your weekly claim. You can choose direct deposit or a U.S. Bank ReliaCard debit card.

Law: M.G.L. c. 151A, secs. 1(c), 24(c)

Official source: Source page

What applies in every state

File with the unemployment program of the state where you worked. If you worked in another state or in several states, the agency in the state where you live now can tell you how to file with other states.
It generally takes two to three weeks after you file to get your first payment. Some states require a one-week waiting period, so the second week you claim is the first week paid.

Free help

Call 1-877-626-6800. Legal aid and other free help in Massachusetts → Official sources →