Certification

A claimant needs to "certify" on a weekly basis whether or not he or she is currently working and has been looking for work for each week of collecting benefits. Generally, DUA has replaced mail certification with "WebCert" and "TeleCert," although certification cards will be mailed on request. WebCert is an online certification program that can be used by signing up at www.mass.gov/dua/webcert. While a claimant may certify work search under WebCert, he or she must file an initial claim for benefits, or reopen a claim, either in person or over the telephone.

TeleCert can be used to certify work search via telephone. To contact the TeleClaim Center, a claimant should call the appropriate telephone number below:

• For Area Codes 351, 413, 508, 774 and 978: 877-626-6800
• For Area Code 617 and all others: 617-626-6338

The TeleClaim Center (listed in Appendix A) can provide information about the status of the claim. For check information, call the claims center, and follow the directions for checking on the status of your check certification.

Both WebCert and Telecert maintain hours on Sunday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with extended hours on Sunday until 10:00 p.m. Neither is available on Saturdays and holidays. Because of the heavy volume caused by the record numbers of UI claimants, DUA warns that claimants may experience difficulty or delay with the WebCert service, particularly on Sunday (the first day for signing weekly benefits). DUA encourages claimants to sign during the expanded hours of 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on Sundays or use TeleCert during those expanded hours.

Documenting Work Search

As a condition of receiving benefits on a continued basis, DUA requires that claimants:

• make a minimum of three work search contacts for each week in which benefits are claimed;
• keep a log of those work search contacts; and
• provide a work search log to DUA upon request.

For an example of a completed Worksearch Activity Log see Appendix G and for downloadable copies of Activity Logs, see http://www.mass.gov/Elwd/docs/dua/1750T.pdf.      

DUA Language Notice Requirements

G.L. c. 151A, § 62A provides that DUA must issue all notices in English, Spanish, Chinese, Haitian Creole, Italian, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Laotian, Khmer, Russian, and any other language that is the primary language of at least one-half of one percent of Massachusetts' residents. If DUA does not issue a bilingual notice in the claimant's primary language and this omission results in the claimant's failure to meet a deadline or requirement, then DUA's omission constitutes "good cause" for the claimant's failure to meet the deadline or requirement. See Question 52 for more information on DUA's obligations under this statute.