How Do You Apply for Benefits?

A worker whose employment is terminated should immediately file a claim with the Division of Employment and Training (DET). Generally, the later the worker applies, the greater the likelihood of receiving less unemployment benefits. Workers who need to file a new claim, reopen a claim or obtain information on a current claim and live in the designated areas listed below are requested to do so by telephone:

• Boston or Brookline 617/626-6900

• Waltham area 617/894-9975

• Ashland, Natick, Framingham 508/628-1832

• Western Massachusetts 413/858-2000

• Northampton 413/586-4898

• Greenfield area 413/773-5292

Currently, information is provided in English for claimants by pressing #1, for employers by pressing #2. For information in Spanish, press #3; for information in Chinese (Mandarin is offered first with a subsequent option to select Cantonese), press #4; for information in Haitian-Creole, press #5. See Appendix A-1 for the telephone numbers for the DET Telephone Claims centers.

Pursuant to the 1997 enactment of section 62A of c.151A, DET must, in addition to the telephone claims services, provide walk-in unemployment services, including general information, application assistance, claims information, and orientation. DET must provide these walk-in unemployment services in 15 specified regional offices (see Appendix A-

1. for a list of DET offices which now provide unemployment services), and it must provide the orientation within 15 days of the application. In the orientation, DET must inform the claimant about the determination process, eligibility criteria (including worker profiling), health insurance, and extended training benefits.

Section 62A also requires all DET notices to contain the address and telephone number of the regional office serving the individual, as well as a statewide toll free number for telephone claims services (1-888-626- 5553). Additionally, DET must prepare notices and materials explaining the right to file in English, Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Khmer, Russian and any other language that is the language of ½ of 1% of all Massachusetts residents.

Section 62A further provides that a claimant is considered to have initiated a claim as of the date that he or she first contacts or attempts to contact DET. This means that if the claimant is discouraged from filing or delays filing for some other reason the claims filing date relates back to the date of first contact.

Finally, section 62A ensures that potential claimants receive notification of the right to file for unemployment benefits. Pursuant to an amendment in 1998, employers no longer must provide information to potential claimants at the time of separation. Under the amendment, employers must provide potential claimants with information on unemployment benefits as soon as practicable, but not to exceed 30 days from the last day of work. This information must include the employer's name and address, instructions on how to file a claim for unemployment compensation, the address and phone number of the regional office which serves the employee, and the telephone claims number. Additionally, pursuant to the 1998 amendment, an employer is no longer barred from participating in any subsequent DET proceedings if the employer fails to provide such information. However, if the employer violates this notification requirement, the employee’s claim will be backdated to the first week that the employee would have been eligible for unemployment benefits. Furthermore, section 62A contains a requirement that employers post unemployment benefits information at the work site. A list of the addresses and phone numbers of the DET Employment Service Centers is provided in Appendix A-2.