If you are a worker whose unemployment benefits were denied, you need to continue to request benefits while your appeal is pending in order to receive payment for those weeks if you win your appeal.
To appeal a hearings decision, you will need the claimant ID and issue ID assigned by the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA). These ID numbers can be found on the Hearings Appeal Results page and also on the Appeal Request Information page.
In your appeal, it is very important to state the reasons why you think the hearings decision was incorrectly decided. Be sure to include all documents that are relevant to your appeal that were not entered as exhibits during the hearing. What you state in your appeal will help the Board decide whether to accept or deny your appeal.
UI Online appeals must be submitted by 5 p.m. on the last day of the 30 calendar day appeal period. If the 30-day deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or day on which the Board of Review is closed, the deadline is the next business day.
Appeals filed by mail will be considered filed on the date contained in the U.S. Postal Service postmark. In the absence of a U.S. Postal Service postmark, or in the case of a postage meter stamp, the appeal is considered filed on the date received. If the 30-day deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or day on which the Board of Review is closed, the deadline is the next business day.
To appeal to the Board of Review by mail:
Send your completed form or letter to:
Board of Review
100 Cambridge St., Suite 400
Boston, MA 02114
Appeals delivered in-hand or by private courier must be received by the Board of Review before the close of business on the last day of the 30-calendar day appeal period. If the 30-day deadline falls on a Saturday, Sunday, legal holiday, or day on which the Board of Review is closed, the deadline is the next business day.
For in-person delivery to the Board of Review:
Hand deliver your completed form or letter between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to the following address:
DUA Re-Employment Center
2 Avenue de Lafayette
Boston, MA 02111
Once the Board of Review receives your appeal, it will:
Within 21 days, the Board will notify the parties whether it is denying the appeal or accepting the case for further review. In some cases, the Board will order an additional hearing to obtain more evidence. When its review is complete, the Board will send the parties a written decision.
The Board will make every effort to render a decision within 45 days of receiving your appeal. However, it may take longer if the Board orders an additional hearing, the case is complex, or the Board is experiencing a high volume of appeals.
If the Board of Review denies your appeal or you disagree with the Board’s written decision, you may file an appeal to the District Court.
Approval of attorney's fees
If you are a worker and you hire an attorney to represent you in a DUA matter, your attorney must submit a request for approval of attorney’s fees before your attorney can bill you. Please note that the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) and the Board of Review have separate processes for reviewing fee approval requests.
Submit a request for approval of attorney’s fees to the Board of Review
Submit a request for approval of attorney’s fees to the Department of Unemployment Assistance
