COVID-19 Unemployment Resources

With the closures or reductions in operations of businesses caused by the current crisis surrounding COVID-19, Massachusetts has seen a spike in unemployment claims. If you or someone you know has been affected, please see below for details and information on how to apply for unemployment insurance. A virtual unemployment town hall meeting will be held this Sunday, March 22, at 3:30pm that will take you step by step through the unemployment application process. Please keep reading below for more information.

Applying for Unemployment

Workers who have found themselves out of work due to restrictions in place because of COVID-19 should apply for unemployment insurance even if they are unsure if their situation fits normal unemployment insurance guidelines.

For current unemployment claims: all seminar attendance requirements are suspended, missing deadlines due to effects of COVID-19 will be considered good cause and lateness will be excused, and all appeal hearings will be held by phone only.

Unemployment Town Hall - March 22 at 3:30pm

To help with the increased demand on the unemployment system, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development and the Department of Unemployment Assistance will be hosting virtual town hall meetings. They will take all who sign up through a step by step process of achieving a successful unemployment claim and will be taking questions from applicants across the Commonwealth. All applicants are encouraged to file for benefits online.
 
Sign up for the first virtual town hall, which will be held this Sunday, March 22nd, at 3:30pm. A Spanish language town hall will be held on Tuesday at 9am and additional language town halls shortly thereafter.
 
To further help individuals through the process of applying for benefits, DUA has made specific web page updates that include the latest guidance for employee qualifications and additional resources like contact forms and a COVID-19 specific unemployment claim handbook that can be viewed at .