Have you recently been laid off in Massachusetts? If so, you may qualify for help from the government. To learn more, read this guide on how to file for unemployment in Massachusetts.

If you have lost your Massachusetts job through no fault of your own, you may be able to collect unemployment benefits from the government. You can visit a walk-in service (there are locations throughout the state), or you can follow the steps outlined below.

Unemployment in Massachusetts is covered by the Division of Unemployment Assistance.http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=elwdagencylanding&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions+%28EOLWD%29&L3=Division+of+Unemployment+Assistance&sid=Elwd Massachusetts has a telephone hotline for unemployment claims, and you can reach it by dialing 1-617-626-6800, or 1-877-626-6800 if you are calling from area codes 351, 413, 508, 774, or 978. If call volume is high, preference will be given to callers who are following the call in schedule. The schedule goes as follows:

1. If the last digit of your social security number is 0, 1 or 2, call on Monday
2. If the last digit of your social is 3, 4 or 5, call on Tuesday
3. If the last digit of your social is 6 or 7, call on Wednesday
4. If the last digit of your social is 8 or 9, call on Thursday
5. Any social security numbers are OK on Friday and Saturday

In addition to calling in initial claims, claimants can visit a One-Stop Career Center.http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=elwdagencylanding&L=4&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions+%28EOLWD%29&L3=Massachusetts+One-Stop+Career+Centers&sid=Elwd

You will need to have the following information on hand for your call:

1. Birth year
2. Social security number
3. Past unemployment claim info
4. Final date of employment
5. Address and phone number
6. Names and addresses of all employers in the past 15 months
7. Reason for job loss
8. Names, birthdays, and social security numbers of dependent children
9. Alien registration number, if applicable

Once your application has been accepted, you will need to file a claim each week in order to continue receiving benefits. This can be done online at mass.gov/eolwd. You will need to inform the state about what you are doing to attempt to secure a job, and let them know if you have been available or unavailable to accept any work that may be offered to you. The weekly claim is a way for you to "check in," so that the government knows that you are doing your part to get a job, and are therefore still eligible for benefits.