Amended Regulation
Regulation governing Combined Wage Claims filed under the Federal-State Unemployment Compensation Program was amended by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration.
Beginning January 6, 2009, the definition of "Paying State", when filing a Combined-Wage Claim, will be changed as follows:
Federal Register Part 616 Interstate Arrangement for Combining Employment and Wages:
Section 616.6 Definitions: (e) Paying State, A single state against which the claimant files a Combined-Wage Claim, if the claimant has wages and employment in that State's base period(s) and the claimant qualifies for unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of that State using combined wages and employment.
All states must comply with this amended regulation.
How This May Affect You
In order to file a Combined-Wage Claim, you must have employment and earned wages in a 'Paying State' during the base period.
To file a Combined-Wage Claim with Massachusetts as the 'Paying State', you must have worked and earned wages in the Massachusetts base period(s), as well as that of another state, prior to filing.
Effective January 11, 2009, regardless of whether you traveled to be physically present here , you will not be eligible to file a Combined-Wage Claim in Massachusetts if you do not meet the new requirements. Additionally, even if you had previously filed a Combined-Wage Claim in Massachusetts, you must now meet the new requirements for any new Combined-Wage Claim opened on or after January 11, 2009.
Please be aware of this amended regulation and plan accordingly if you need to file a Combined-Wage Claim in the future. Before making plans to travel to Massachusetts to file a Combined-Wage Claim, please call our TeleClaim Center at 617-626-6800 if you have any questions.