Who is Eligible to Collect Unemployment?

Understanding Eligibility for Unemployment in Massachusetts

The general rule is that you can collect unemployment benefits in Massachusetts if you:

Have lost a job, or a significant number of hours, involuntarily and without engaging in willful misconduct
Earned at least $5,100 over the last four quarters
Are able and available to work
Are actively looking for work

A disqualifying reason for termination is if you resign without a good reason that is the employer's responsibility, or if you are fired for willful misconduct. If you are fired simply for poor performance, you should still be eligible to collect unemployment benefits.

You will need to certify weekly to the DUA that you are looking for work, and report any income you receive. It is important to do this even if you have an appeal pending, or are waiting for a determination of eligibility.Learn more here about unemployment benefits in Massachusetts.