How Do I...?

How do I file for unemployment benefits?

If you cannot get through to the claims centers using the telephone, it is because all claims rep are tied up with other callers and the queues of people waiting to get through are filled to maximum capacity. Lines are busiest on Mondays and Tuesdays and less busy later in the week. However, there are other ways to file a claim.

You can file by over the internet by going to www.file4ui.com and completing the claim online. This application is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Initial claims for the federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) program must be filed by completing a paper application that can be downloaded from the Maine Department of Labor website at www.file4ui.com and mailed to the address shown on the form. We also mail these applications to individuals approximately 2 weeks prior to exhausting their regular unemployment benefits.

To file continued or weekly claims (including EUC weekly claims), a person can do so by calling 1-888-457-8884 and using the automated Teleclaim system. If experiencing difficulty getting through to this number during normal business hours, call back after 5:00 pm or before 8:00 am, or on the weekends. The automated Teleclaim system is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Weekly claims can be filed on or after 12:01 am Sunday for the week just completed. The automated Teleclaim application is available in English, French and Spanish.

Weekly claims (including EUC weekly claims) can also be filed online by going to www.file4ui.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.