Unemployment Resource
Eligibility
To qualify for unemployment insurance benefits in Maine you must be unemployed at the time of filing or working less than full-time and earning wages less than your weekly benefit amount. If you are an alien, you must present evidence to establish you were lawfully admitted to the United States during the period of your employment. You must first establish monetary eligibility. This means that you must have adequate wages in your base period to establish eligibility. You must have earned at least $1091.88 in two quarters and a total of at least $3275.64 in the base period. Workers' Compensation weekly payments may qualify you as well.
File a claim
You can file your claim for benefits online or by calling an Unemployment Call Center. You will be asked questions about the jobs you held during the last 18 months and the reason why you are no longer working. You do not need to fill out an application form to file your claim. However, you will need the following information when you call:
- Your social security number
- The business name, address and telephone number of each place you worked at during the past 18 months
- The jobs you held and the dates you worked (for each employer).
The telephone numbers listed below will connect you with the Call Centers. Use the number that is local or nearest to you geographically:
Augusta: 624-7560
Fort Kent: 834-2450
Rockland: 596-4380
Orono: 561-4600
Lewiston: 753-2800
Sanford: 324-5461
Biddeford: 286-1500
Portland: 822-4128
Skowhegan: 474-4930
Calais: 454-1077
Presque Isle: 768-6800
If you do not have a phone, you can file your claim by using phones provided free of charge at the Department of Labor CareerCenter nearest you.
Language Translation: If you do not speak English and need help filing your claim, we will provide interpreter services. Dial the call center and hear the service menu begin, press "1" on the keypad of your phone. Your call will be sent directly to a Claims Representative. Tell the representative what language you speak. An interpreter will be called to help you file your claim and with questions you may have.
Unemployment insurance is a program of social insurance meant to ease the economic burden of unemployment by providing a temporary source of income for individuals who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Unemployment is insurance paid by your employer in the form of Unemployment Contributions.
Covered employment means work performed for employers who are subject to unemployment compensation law. Covered employment from other states may be used under certain conditions.
The benefit year is a period of 52 consecutive weeks. It begins on the Sunday of the week in which your application is filed. Your claim is good for one year. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the first day of your benefit year. We will use the last four completed quarters if you are not eligible using the regular base period quarters.
The law establishes the maximum amount you may draw during your benefit year. This amount depends on your individual earnings and is limited to a maximum of 26 weeks. Not all individuals qualify for all 26 weeks. (Additional benefits may be available under "Special Programs".)
You may apply as soon as you become unemployed. Your application cannot be made retroactive prior to the week in which it is filed. Telephone the nearest Unemployment Call Center and tell the Claims Representative that you are unemployed and wish to apply for benefits. Telephone filing is the fastest recommended method for filing new claims.
Claim forms are also available at all Department of Labor Career Centers as well as many local town offices, if you wish to file by mail. You can also download a printable application form. See form B9.2. Many employers will issue Partial Claim forms (Green Slips) if you work less than full-time and have not been laid off from full-time employment.
Can I file a claim outside of Maine? Yes, You can file a claim by telephone from any other state. The number to call from out of state is (207) 753-2800. If you live in Canada, you should contact your nearest unemployment office for instructions.
Know the name and address of the last employer for whom you worked. If you are a veteran who separated from the armed forces in the past 18 months, you will need your DD-214. If you were a federal civilian employee, you will need your SF-8 or SF-50.
If you had out-of-state employment in the past 18 months, know the name(s) and address(es) of these employer(s). You must know your social security number and we recommend that you verify it using your social security card.
The claims representative will take your application for benefits and will provide you with all the information and forms that you will need. Yes. We are required by law to notify your employer that you have applied for benefits, and to obtain the information needed to process your application.
