Maine Unemployment Eligibility

You must meet the following requirements in order to become eligible for unemployment insurance benefits in Maine.

Non Monetary Eligibility

• Be unemployed through no fault of your own
• Be able, available and actively seeking work
• Must quit job or get fired for “good cause” related with work
• Must register for work at Maine CareerCenters’ Job Bank
• Must participate in reemployment services as directed
• Must not refuse suitable work if offered

Monetary Eligibility

To be “monetarily eligible” to set up an unemployment claim, you must meet two requirements:

1. During at least 2 calendar quarters in the base period, you must have been PAID wages that are at least 2 times the annual average weekly wage in Maine. AND
2. In the whole base period, you must have been PAID wages totaling at least 6 times Maine’s annual average weekly wage.

Eligibility Questions

What can keep me from qualifying for Unemployment?

You may have enough covered wages in your base period and still be denied for other reasons. Some of the reasons for disqualification are listed below.

You may be disqualified if you:

• were discharged or fired for misconduct
• voluntarily quit without good cause attributable to the employment
• are not able and available for full-time work
• are not a U. S. citizen and not authorized to work in this country
• have limited the wages, hours, days, or areas of a job you would accept
• do not report for or satisfactorily participate in reemployment services as directed
• are self employed
• are involved in a strike
• are not looking for work
• refuse suitable work

What happens if I am laid off from my job?

There is no penalty or reduction in UI benefits if you are laid off. Your employer will be sent a notice to verify that you were laid off.

Unemployment benefits are designed to help those who lost their jobs through reasons beyond their own control.

If you get laid off because the business can’t afford, you are usually eligible for unemployment benefits. If you were laid off because you weren’t right for the job, then also you may be eligible to collect unemployment.

When you get laid-off, it is not your fault. Getting laid-off doesn’t mean that you were fired or you did something wrong. Once you get laid-off from your job, you should immediately apply for unemployment benefits.

Are there other types of disqualification?

Yes. The law imposes a special “between-terms” disqualification whereby certain college and school employees cannot be paid benefits for any week of unemployment which begins during the period between two successive academic years or terms. Also, professional athletes cannot be paid benefits for weeks of unemployment between two successive sports seasons. You should always file a claim to determine your eligibility if any of these conditions apply to you.

More Questions?? —-> Read Eligibility Q & A Section

Want to know about how much you will receive?? —–>Calculate your benefits here