There are two determinations made on your claim to determine your eligibility. One is called a monetary determination. This will detail your potential eligibility for benefits based on your earnings. The other is your eligibility based on the circumstances of your separation from your employer.

 

Part 1: Your Monetary Eligibility

Your monetary eligibility will include the amount of benefits you are potentially eligible to collect, the duration of your benefits, how much you can earn on a part-time job before money is deducted from your benefits, and any dependency allowance you may be eligible to receive.

A form will be mailed to you outlining your monetary eligibility. If you disagree with the information on the form, you have the right to appeal.

Part 2: Why You are No Longer Working

DUA will send a request for wage and separation information to employers for whom you worked in the 15 months prior to filing your claim.

Any employers for whom you worked during the last eight weeks of your employment are considered interested parties to your claim. This means they have the right to protest your claim, particularly if you quit your job without "good cause" or were fired for deliberate misconduct.

A DUA service representative claims adjuster will collect information from both you and your employer(s) and make a determination on your eligibility. Both you and your employer have the right to appeal this determination.

Your Waiting Period

The first week of your claim for which you are eligible to collect benefits is your "waiting period." Massachusetts law requires this waiting period and you will not be paid benefits for that week.

You serve only one waiting period during your benefit year, even if you close and reopen your claim several times during that benefit year.