Division of Unemployment Insurance

File an Unemployment Insurance Claim Online

Are you recently unemployed?

Learn about Maryland Unemployment Insurance Benefits
File a claim in the Maryland Unemployment Insurance System (BEACON)
If you need help, call 667-207-6520. Claims agents are available from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday

Complete Your Weekly Certification (starting every Sunday)

Are you currently collecting unemployment insurance benefits?

If you are unable to complete your certification online, you can use the automated call line 24/7:

410-949-0022 (if calling from the Baltimore area or out of state)
800-827-4839 (if calling from Maryland but outside of the Baltimore area)

Unemployment Insurance for Former Federal Employees

Federal civilian employees who become unemployed due to no fault of their own can apply for Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE). For information on eligibility, how to apply, and more, see the page Resources for Maryland’s Former Federal Employees and Other Workers Impacted by the Federal Government Transition.

Some federal employees impacted by federal agency reductions in force may be receiving severance pay as part of separation. For information on how severance pay will affect your eligibility for unemployment benefits in Maryland, see the page Federal Severance Pay: Important Information on Unemployment Benefits for Federal Employees, so you can make an informed decision on if and when to apply.

Note: Workers should apply for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in the jurisdiction of their "duty station." This means, for example, that if you reside in Maryland and are laid off from a job based in Virginia, you should apply for benefits in Virginia. Here are direct links to apply for UI benefits in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia.
If you are on administrative leave, you are not eligible for UI benefits, since you are still employed. However, if you are placed on administrative leave and then terminated, you may be eligible once you are no longer employed.

For more, see Steps to Prepare for Reduction in Force and Important UI Tips for Federal Civilian Employees. View the recording of the Information for Federal Employees webinar for an overview of the UI process for federal workers.

Unemployment Insurance for Other Workers Impacted by Federal Actions

Other workers impacted by federal actions—such as employees who worked for a private sector employer that contracted with the federal government and are now unemployed due to no fault of their own—may be eligible to apply for regular unemployment insurance. See the Regular Unemployment Insurance (UI) Overview flyer for information on how to apply for the regular Maryland UI program.

Information for New Employers

If you are an employer who is new to the unemployment insurance (UI) process, visit the Information for New Employers webpage.

Information for New Third-Party Agents

If you are a third-party agent who is new to the unemployment insurance (UI) process, visit the Information for New Third-Party Agents webpage.

Contact Information

The Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance (the Division) offers several ways claimants, employers, and third-party agents can contact us. See below for our primary contact methods.

Maryland Unemployment Insurance Online System (BEACON)

You can complete several unemployment insurance tasks, including filing an initial claim, in our online BEACON system, which is available online 24/7.

To learn more, see the BEACON Claimant FAQs and the Unemployment Modernization (BEACON) for Employers and Third-Party Agents webpage.

Unemployment Insurance Contact Information

To contact a claim agent to file a new claim or inquire about an existing claim, please call 667-207-6520. Claim agents are available from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Hours may be modified during holidays.
If you call during business hours, you may provide a callback number. When an agent becomes available, the system will call the number and connect you with an agent.

Employer and Third-Party Agent Phone Number and Hours of Operation

The Employer Call Center can be reached at 410-949-0033. Call center hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Hours may be modified during holidays.
If you need help activating your employer or agent account in BEACON, please contact the Account Activation Hotline at 410-767-8997.

Automated Phone System for Weekly Certification

To connect with the Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system available 24/7, call 410-949-0022 or 1-800-827-4839, toll free. Please listen carefully as many prompts have changed.
Using the IVR system, claimants can file weekly claim certifications by phone. Claimants can also reset their PIN number, check their payment status, receive filing instructions, and more without having to connect with a claims agent.

Accessible Contact Options for People with Disabilities (Maryland Relay)

Individuals with certain disabilities (Deafness, Deafblindness, hearing loss, difficulty speaking, limited mobility, or cognitive difficulty) may communicate with the Maryland Department of Labor, Division of Unemployment Insurance (the Division) via scheduled VRI services, Video Relay Services (VRS), Maryland Relay, and other forms of effective communication.

Maryland Relay allows individuals with certain disabilities (listed above) to communicate using a standard telephone. For Maryland Relay, dial 711. Please provide the Maryland Relay operator with the following phone number to reach the Division: 1-667-401-4647.

See the Special Accommodation Information and Resources webpage or the Maryland Relay FAQs to learn more.

Ombudsman Inquiry Form

To submit an inquiry and reach the UI Ombudsman, please fill out the Ombudsman Inquiry Form and e-mail it to ui.ombudsman@maryland.gov

Virtual Kiosk Services by Appointment

The Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance is offering limited virtual kiosk appointments to take claimant questions about their unemployment insurance claims. Please call a claims agent at 667-207-6520 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) to schedule an appointment.

Please ensure that at the time of your appointment, you are in a location where you will not be interrupted and that you have access to your BEACON portal.

Child Support Withholdings from UI Benefits E-mail

For inquiries about child support withholdings from your UI benefits or adjustments to these withholdings, e-mail ui.childsupportassistance@maryland.gov.

NOTE: This e-mail address should only be used to inquire about child support withholdings from your UI benefits, and any necessary adjustments.

For questions about child support obligations that are not related to your UI benefits, call the Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) Child Support Administration at 1-800-332-6347.

Maryland Unemployment Insurance System (BEACON)

The Maryland Unemployment Insurance System (BEACON) provides a central online portal for claimants, employers, and third-party agents to complete unemployment insurance tasks.

Features

Features for Claimants

Claimants can:

Access their unemployment insurance claim 24 hours per day/7 days per week
File initial claims for all program types:
- Regular UI
- Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE)
- Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX)
- Combined Wage Claim (CWC) - Maryland and Out-of-State Claim
- Extended Benefits (EB)
- Work Sharing
File weekly claim certifications
Update account details
- name
- address
- e-mail
Update requests for tax withholding
Review benefit payment history
Receive immediate updates regarding their claim status, including up-to-date information about their eligibility
Retrieve correspondence and other claimant information
Review benefit payment history
Respond to fact-finding requests (as required) for additional information
Submit supporting documents for adjudication or appeals
File appeals
Track and pay overpayments
Maintain their portal account

Features for Employers

Employers can:

Submit required reports and information
Update their account information such as address, contact, and ownership
Access their tax rate and other UI-related information
Submit wage reports and pay contributions
Submit adjustments to previously filed wage reports
Respond to Requests for Separation Information
File an appeal
Submit supporting documents for appeals or adjudication
View all correspondence generated by the system
Set up an agent to manage their account

Features for Third Party Agents

Agents can:

Submit a power of attorney online and access their customer’s account based on their privileges granted by the power of attorney
File wage reports on behalf of their clients
Make contribution payments on behalf of their clients
File appeals on behalf of their clients
Obtain rate information for their clients

Mobile Apps

MD Unemployment for Claimants (download from iOS App Store or Google Play Store);
MD Unemployment for Employers (download from iOS App Store or Google Play Store).

You can complete some, but not all, UI tasks in the mobile apps.

For more, see the BEACON System Overview web page.

Work Search Requirements

To meet Maryland’s work search requirements, a claimant must:

register in the Maryland Workforce Exchange (MWE) system;
upload or create a résumé in MWE, make the résumé viewable to employers, and maintain an up-to-date résumé while collecting UI benefits;
- After you complete your MWE registration, check your MWE inbox frequently for information about weekly tasks or actions that you are required to complete.
complete at least three valid reemployment activities each week, which must include at least one job contact; and,
keep a detailed weekly record of all completed job contacts and valid reemployment activities. Claimants are strongly urged to use the MWE Job Contact and Reemployment Activity Log (see the video tutorial), to keep this record.

For more, see the Maryland Work Search Requirements webpage.

Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance Activity

Instructions for reporting unemployment insurance (UI) fraud or an incorrect 1099-G tax form are available on the UI Fraud Awareness and Reporting Instructions webpage.