How to File for Unemployment in Maine
How to apply for unemployment in Maine, what you need, and what you must do each week to keep getting benefits.
Short answer: Apply online through ReEmployME (the recommended option) or by phone at 1-800-593-7660, as soon as you become unemployed; claims cannot be backdated. Maine Department of Labor, Claimants Frequently Asked Questions
| How to apply | Apply online through ReEmployME (the recommended option) or by phone at 1-800-593-7660, as soon as you become unemployed; claims cannot be backdated. Have your Social Security number, the name, address and phone number of every employer in the past 18 months with your job titles and dates, and dependents' Social Security numbers. File a weekly certification with your work search every week, within 14 days after the Saturday ending the week you are claiming. The first payment usually takes two to three weeks. |
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| Earnings needed to qualify | The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim; if you do not qualify with that, the last four completed quarters can be used. You must have sufficient wages in covered employment spread over at least two calendar quarters. The FAQ does not state the dollar amount of qualifying wages required. |
| Work search requirements | You must do at least one work search activity each week and report it on your weekly certification, and you must have an active account on Maine JobLink. Acceptable activities include applying or interviewing for a job you are qualified for, contacting an employer about an opening, and CareerCenter job fairs, workshops or reemployment services; just browsing job listings does not count. Keep records, since activities are randomly audited. If you have a definite return date to your employer, a work search waiver may cover up to the final six weeks of the layoff. |
| Logging in and filing weekly claims | Maine's online unemployment claim system is ReEmployME, run by the Maine Department of Labor. Claimants sign in to ReEmployME to manage an existing unemployment claim. |
Where to get help in Maine
More Maine unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Maine Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Maine
- Unemployment After Being Fired in Maine
- Unemployment After Quitting in Maine
- How Much Unemployment Pays in Maine
- All Maine unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
How do I apply for unemployment in Maine?
Apply online through ReEmployME (the recommended option) or by phone at 1-800-593-7660, as soon as you become unemployed; claims cannot be backdated. Have your Social Security number, the name, address and phone number of every employer in the past 18 months with your job titles and dates, and dependents' Social Security numbers. File a weekly certification with your work search every week, within 14 days after the Saturday ending the week you are claiming. The first payment usually takes two to three weeks.
How much do you need to have earned to get unemployment in Maine?
The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim; if you do not qualify with that, the last four completed quarters can be used. You must have sufficient wages in covered employment spread over at least two calendar quarters.
What are the work search requirements for unemployment in Maine?
You must do at least one work search activity each week and report it on your weekly certification, and you must have an active account on Maine JobLink. Acceptable activities include applying or interviewing for a job you are qualified for, contacting an employer about an opening, and CareerCenter job fairs, workshops or reemployment services; just browsing job listings does not count. Keep records, since activities are randomly audited. If you have a definite return date to your employer, a work search waiver may cover up to the final six weeks of the layoff.
Where do I log in to my unemployment claim in Maine?
Maine's online unemployment claim system is ReEmployME, run by the Maine Department of Labor. Claimants sign in to ReEmployME to manage an existing unemployment claim.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.