Worcester County Unemployment Offices & Job Centers

    
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      Where Is the Unemployment Office in Worcester, MA?
      
Worcester, Massachusetts 01601
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Where Is the Unemployment Office in Worcester, MA?Do you need to file for unemployment benefits in Worcester County, Massachusetts? Do you have questions about your claim? You can find the information you need at the website of the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, the state agency that administers unemployment benefits in Massachusetts.
If you haven’t applied for unemployment benefits recently (or ever), you might think you have to go into the local unemployment office and file your claim in person. These days, however, it’s much easier – and often, required – to file your claim online or by phone.
On this page, you'll find
contact information for the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance
contact information for local job centers, which can help you with your job search and may offer assistance in filing for unemployment benefits, and
links to our articles on how to file for benefits in Massachusetts, eligibility for benefits in Massachusetts, calculating your weekly benefit amount in Massachusetts, and more. 

Contacting the Unemployment Office in Worcester CountyIf you want to file a claim for benefits, check on your claim, speak to a representative, or manage your unemployment benefits application, contact the
Massachusetts Department of Unemployment AssistanceURL: https://www.mass.gov/orgs/department-of-unemployment-assistanceMain Phone Number:
617-626-6800
Find contact information for the Massachusetts Call Center and Payment Status Line in the "Contact" section of the Apply for Unemployment Benefits page of the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance website. 
Contacting Your Local Job CenterLocal job centers -- sometimes called One-Stop Career Centers or American Job Centers --can help you with cover letters, resumes, and job search efforts. Some job centers may provide assistance in filing for unemployment benefits. You may be required to register with a job center as part of your ongoing obligation to look for work while collecting benefits.
Contact your job center to find out about services and availability. Although some job centers provide unemployment services (for example, help in filing or managing your claim), others offer only job search assistance. And, some centers are closed, have limited hours, or are available only online due to the coronavirus pandemic. Call or email your local job center to find out about their offerings. 
source: U.S. Department of Labor
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LEOMINSTER: MassHire North Central Career CenterPhone: 978-534-1481Email: Veterans Representative
 : 
                
Business Representative
 Erica Halloran: EHalloran@masshirenorthcentralcc.com
                
Youth Services Contact
 : 
                
Website: https://masshirenorthcentralcc.com/career-guidance/
              ADDRESS:100 Erdman Way

                            Leominster, MA 01453

              GoogleMap
              
SOUTHBRIDGE: MassHire Central - Southbridge Career CenterPhone: 508-765-6430Email: info@masshirecentralcc.comVeterans Representative
 Michael Hess: HessM@masshirecentralcc.com
                
Business Representative
 Donna Joyce; Yesenia Aponte: JoyceD@masshirecentralcc.com; AponteY@masshirecentralcc.com
                
Youth Services Contact
 : 
                
Website: https://masshirecentralcc.com/jobseekers/
              ADDRESS:5 Optical Drive

              Suite 200
              Southbridge, MA 01550

              GoogleMap
              
WORCESTER: MassHire Central - Worcester Career CenterPhone: 508-799-1600Email: info@masshirecentralcc.comVeterans Representative
 Bill Ryan: RyanW@masshirecentralcc.com
                
Business Representative
 Yesenia Aponte; Donna Joyce: AponteY@masshirecentralcc.com; JoyceD@masshirecentralcc.com
                
Youth Services Contact
 : 
                
Website: https://masshirecentralcc.com/jobseekers/
              ADDRESS:340 Main Street

              Suite 400
              Worcester, MA 01608

              GoogleMap
              
How to Collect Unemployment Benefits in Worcester County, MassachusettsMassachusetts Unemployment Benefits at a GlanceMassachusetts Benefits EligibilityYou are eligible for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts if you are out of work through no fault of your own and you have earned at least a minimum amount in the time before you lost your job.
To be eligible for benefits in Massachusetts, you must have earned at least 30 times your weekly benefit amount, and a minimum of $5,700, during the entire base period. 
Massachusetts Unemployment Benefit AmountIn Massachusetts, you can calculate your weekly benefit by adding up all of your wages during the two highest paid quarters of the base period; dividing this amount by 26 to determine your average weekly wage during this time; then dividing that total by two. 
The maximum weekly benefit in Massachusetts is $1,015 per week.
How Long Your Unemployment Benefits Will Last in MassachusettsIn Massachusetts, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 30 weeks. When extended benefits are available or unemployment is low, the maximum is 26 weeks. 
For More InformationIf you have questions or need more information on unemployment benefits in Massachusetts, check out our detailed articles on:
how to apply for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts
information you'll need when you file your claim
who qualifies for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts
how to calculate your weekly benefit amount
how long your benefits will last
what you'll need to do to keep collecting benefits, and
what to do if your application for benefits is denied. 
See all of our Massachusetts unemployment articles here; just select Massachusetts from the list on the page. We wish you all the best as you navigate your unemployment claim. 
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Unemployment Unemployment Office ▼

What Are Unemployment Benefits?

What Are Unemployment Benefits?

Unemployment benefits are payments made by the state to people who are temporarily out of work through no fault of their own. They are intended to partially replace your lost wages while you look for a new job.

These benefits are provided through an insurance program run jointly by the federal government and Massachusetts. Each state has its own rules about who qualifies for benefits, how much you can receive, and for how long.

Taxes paid by employers in Massachusetts fund the program and employers may not deduct these taxes from employee wages. If an employer asks you to agree to have the unemployment insurance tax deducted from your wages, you can refuse. Such an agreement is not enforceable.

The extended and expanded unemployment benefits that were available through the CARES Act ended as of September 6, 2021. Some states have also changed their rules to cover those who are out of work due to COVID-19 .

More information about unemployment benefits in Massachusetts can be found on the website of the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.
Who Qualifies for Unemployment Benefits?
Who Qualifies for Unemployment Benefits?
Under normal circumstances, you qualify for unemployment benefits if you:
- lost your job through no fault of your own
- worked during the "base period" required by Massachusetts unemployment law before you lost your job
- earned enough in the base period to qualify for benefits, and
- worked for an employer required to pay into the Massachusetts Unemployment Trust Fund (most employers have to pay into the fund with only a few exceptions).
You may qualify for unemployment benefits even if you quit your last job, as long as you quit for a reason that is recognized as good cause to quit by the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, some states have expanded their unemployment insurance programs to provide benefits to people affected by the outbreak. If your state has changed its rules in this way, you may be eligible for state benefits if you are out of work for reasons related to the coronavirus. The federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program, which provided benefits for people who were themselves affected or whose family members were affected by COVID-19, ended as of September 6, 2021.

For more information about eligibility requirements, see Who is Eligible for Unemployment Benefits in Massachusetts?
How Are Benefits Calculated?

How Are Benefits Calculated?

Each state has its own formula for determining your weekly benefit amount: how much money you will receive each week as your unemployment benefit. Typically, your weekly benefit amount is some percentage of your earnings during the entire base period or the quarter of the base period in which you were paid the most.

In Massachusetts, you can calculate your weekly benefit by adding up all of your wages during the two highest paid quarters of the base period; dividing this amount by 26 to determine your average weekly wage during this time; then dividing that total by two.
How Long Do Benefits Last?

How Long Do Benefits Last?

State law determines how long unemployment benefits last. In the past, virtually all states offered up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits. In recent years, however, some states have shortened these entitlements.
In Massachusetts, you can receive unemployment benefits for a maximum of 30 weeks. When extended benefits are available or unemployment is low, the maximum is 26 weeks.

If you are still unemployed when your Massachusetts benefits run out, you may be eligible for extended benefits. These benefits are available for an extra 13 to 20 weeks (depending on your state's rules) during times of high unemployment. See How Long Will My Unemployment Benefits Last in Massachusetts for details on these programs.
What Is the Base Period?

What Is the Base Period?

The base period is the length of time used both to determine your eligibility for unemployment benefits and to calculate the amount you will receive.

In Massachusetts, the base period is the first four of the five complete calendar quarters immediately before you filed for benefits. For example, if you file for benefits on March 15, 2024, your base period will be from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. It would not include the most recent complete calendar quarter before you filed (October 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023) or the first two-and-a-half months of 2024.

If you did not earn enough to qualify for benefits during the regular base period, you may be able to use an alternate base period that counts more recent earnings. In Massachusetts, the alternate base period is the last three complete calendar quarters before you file for unemployment, plus any portion of the quarter in which you file. For example, if you file for benefits on December 8, your alternate base period would be the first three calendar quarters of the year, plus October 1 through December 7 of the quarter in which you file for benefits.

Massachusetts allows filers to use an alternate base period even if they would be eligible for benefits using the regular base period, if they can show that their benefit would be at least 10% higher using the alternate base period.

If you received workers' compensation payments for a temporary total disability for more than seven weeks during the base period, you may be entitled to use an extended base period if your earnings are insufficient during the regular base period to qualify for benefits. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance will look to your earlier earnings and may substitute weeks of work from before the regular base period began for weeks in the base period during which you were receiving workers' compensation benefits, up to 52 weeks.
Ways to Apply for Unemployment Benefits
Ways to Apply for Unemployment Benefits
In response to the coronavirus outbreak, some states are limiting or barring people from gathering in public places. This may affect your access to the physical office of the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance in person. Check the Massachusetts unemployment insurance agency website for more information.

You can apply for unemployment benefits in Massachusetts a couple of ways:
- online by going to the Massachusetts unemployment insurance agency website, or
- by phone by calling the Teleclaim Center for your area code.
You can find information about how to file your initial claim for benefits and how to file your weekly claim for continuing benefits on the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance website, too. Get more information in our article, How Do I Apply for Unemployment Benefits in Massachusetts?
Checklist: Information You'll Need to File for Unemployment
Checklist: Information You'll Need to File for Unemployment
Whether you file for unemployment online, in person, or by phone, use this checklist to make sure you have all of the information and documents you'll need:
- basic personal information, including your name, address, phone number, and Social Security number
- information on all employers you have worked for in the last year and a half, including the company's name, address, and phone number; the start and end dates of your employment; and your earnings
- the last date you worked for your previous employer
- the reason why you are no longer working for your previous employer
- information on payments you are receiving or expect to receive from your previous employer, such as severance pay, and
- if you are not a United States Citizen, your alien registration number.
You can find out whether you'll need additional documents or information by contacting the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance.
When Did Massachusetts Cut Off Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits?

When Did Massachusetts Cut Off Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits?

As of September 6, 2021, coronavirus unemployment benefits have expired. This means they are not available in any state, for weeks of unemployment beginning September 6 or later. To learn more, see Coronavirus Unemployment Benefits No Longer Available.
About this Website
About this Website
Here at Legal Consumer, we want to help people find answers to everyday legal questions about important topics like bankruptcy, Obamacare, inheritance, and more.

Now, we’ve turned our attention to employment law. Because, while almost everyone has (or has had) a job, it can be surprisingly tough to get good, high-quality local information about workplace rights.

We'll be adding new topics over time, but we’ve started with unemployment benefits. If you’ve recently lost your job, unemployment benefits can be a real lifesaver. They replace some of your income, temporarily, while you look for a new job. But not everyone qualifies for benefits, and the amount and duration of benefits can vary a lot from state to state.

On this website, when you choose your state or enter your zip code, you will quickly learn:
- who is eligible for unemployment benefits
- how to apply for unemployment in your state
- how much you can expect to receive each week
- what to do if your claim for benefits is denied
- and more.
We want to make it as easy as possible for you to get the information, forms, and resources you need to get the unemployment benefits you’re entitled to and move on with your job search.