Unemployment After a Job Ends
26 M.R.S. § 1193 — quitting without good cause or misconduct disqualifies; 30 days to appeal
- Leaving work voluntarily without good cause attributable to the job disqualifies until the claimant has earned 4 times the weekly benefit amount at a new job.
- Leaving is not disqualifying when caused by the claimant's or a family member's illness that the employer would not accommodate, following a spouse to a new home, a new job that fell through, protecting the family from domestic abuse, a volunteered layoff, or an unexpected loss of child or elder care.
- A discharge for misconduct connected with the work disqualifies until the claimant has earned 8 times the weekly benefit amount.
Who handles this in Maine: Maine Department of Labor, Unemployment Claims; and legal aid programs and the state offices, listed in the Maine directory.
Misconduct is a culpable breach of duties to the employer, or a pattern of irresponsible behavior, that shows disregard for a material interest of the employer. A finding of no misconduct does not mean the employer lacked reason to fire.
Thirty days, then fifteen. A deputy's determination becomes final unless appealed within 30 calendar days after notice was mailed. A hearing decision becomes the commission's final decision unless a further appeal is filed within 15 calendar days after its notice was mailed.
Sources for this section (3)
- 26 M.R.S. § 1193 — Disqualification
- 26 M.R.S. § 1043 — Definitions
- 26 M.R.S. § 1194 — Claims for benefits
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maine attorney.