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Maine Unemployment Insurance Posters

August 23rd, 2006 Posted by Emily

By law, every employer must post Maine Unemployment Insurance posters. All new and reactivated claims for unemployment benefits are filed either by telephone, mail, or by Internet.

Maine Unemployment Insurance posters carry this warning; “Do not delay in filing your claim once you are out of work. CLAIMS CANNOT BE BACKDATED.”

Telephone would be the choice for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and for non-English speaking applicants. TTY services are available, and language interpreter services in approximately 140 commonly spoken languages can be arranged. Maine Unemployment Insurance posters advise those who do not have a phone, to use phones, free of charge for this purpose, at any Department of Labor Career Center.

Maine Unemployment Insurance posters provide information about basic eligibility requirements. To establish a claim, an individual must have earned two times the annual average weekly wage in Maine in each of two different calendar quarters, and a total of six times the annual average weekly wage in Maine in the whole base period. The “base period” is a one-year period that includes four calendar quarters. As an employer, it is imperative that you keep good records of the earnings of each of your employees to help determine if they are truly eligible for funds.

When individuals are laid off from their last job due to a lack of work, no additional investigation is required. Employees separated from their last job for reasons other than lack of work will be scheduled for a fact-finding interview before a determination is made regarding eligibility for benefits. Employers will want to participate in the fact-finding interview. During this interview, have the employee’s hours, wages, and reason for leaving employment. Maine Unemployment Insurance posters list weekly eligibility requirements including being able to work and being available for work, making an active search for work (unless their work search has been “waived”), not refusing offers of suitable work or referral to suitable job opportunities. If you suspect that you are paying for a claimant that is not following these rules, contact Maine’s Department of Labor.