If you're trying to reach Maryland's unemployment agency by phone, you're looking for the Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI), which operates under the Maryland Department of Labor. Knowing the right number — and when to use it — can save you significant time during an already stressful process.
The primary claimant contact number for the Maryland Division of Unemployment Insurance is 667-207-6520. This line handles questions about:
Maryland also maintains a BEACON portal — the state's online unemployment system — where claimants can file claims, submit weekly certifications, upload documents, and send secure messages to agency staff. For many inquiries, the portal is faster than waiting on hold.
Phone lines at state unemployment agencies are typically busiest on Monday mornings and the days immediately following holidays. Maryland's BEACON system allows claimants to handle most routine tasks online, including:
Calling is generally most useful when you have a complex issue that can't be resolved through the portal — such as a frozen account, an identity hold, a missed certification that requires manual correction, or questions about a pending adjudication decision.
When Maryland receives a claim, it doesn't automatically approve it. If there's a question about why you separated from your employer, whether you're able and available to work, or whether you meet the base period wage requirements, the claim goes into adjudication — a review process where a claims specialist evaluates the facts.
During adjudication, you may receive a questionnaire asking for your account of the separation. Your former employer may also be contacted. The outcome of that review determines whether your claim is approved, denied, or held pending additional information.
If your claim is in adjudication, calling the main line may not accelerate the process — but it can help you confirm that your documents were received or that your account isn't missing information.
Maryland uses a standard base period — the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week you file. To qualify, you must have earned sufficient wages during that window. Maryland also uses an alternate base period for claimants who don't meet the standard threshold, which looks at the four most recently completed quarters.
Exact wage thresholds change periodically and are enforced by the agency. What matters is that eligibility is based on your actual wage history, not just the fact that you worked.
Maryland, like every state, treats different types of job separations differently:
| Separation Type | General Treatment |
|---|---|
| Layoff / Reduction in Force | Typically eligible if wage and availability requirements are met |
| Voluntary Quit | Generally ineligible unless the claimant can show "good cause" under Maryland law |
| Discharge for Misconduct | Generally ineligible; definition of misconduct varies by case facts |
| Discharge Without Misconduct | May be eligible depending on circumstances |
| Constructive Discharge | Treated similarly to voluntary quit; good cause standard applies |
"Good cause" for a voluntary quit is a legal standard — not a general impression that leaving was reasonable. Whether a specific situation meets that standard is determined by a claims adjudicator, and potentially an appeals examiner if the initial decision is appealed.
Maryland requires claimants to certify weekly to receive benefits. Certification confirms that you were unemployed, able and available to work, and actively looking for work during that week. If you miss a certification week, you generally cannot collect benefits for that period retroactively without agency intervention.
If you miss a week due to a system error, illness, or another reason, calling 667-207-6520 is often the appropriate next step — BEACON does not always allow claimants to self-correct missed certifications.
If your claim is denied, Maryland law gives you the right to appeal. The first level of appeal is a hearing before an appeals examiner at the Office of Lower Appeals. These hearings are typically conducted by phone and give both you and your former employer the opportunity to present information.
If you disagree with the lower appeals decision, a second level of review is available through the Board of Appeals. Further review may be available through Maryland courts, though that process is distinct from the administrative system.
Appeal deadlines in Maryland are strict. Missing the filing window can forfeit your right to challenge a denial, regardless of the merits of your case. The denial notice itself will state the deadline and filing instructions.
Maryland requires claimants to conduct actively documented job searches each week as a condition of receiving benefits. The state specifies a minimum number of contacts per week, and claimants are expected to maintain records of those contacts in case of an audit.
What counts as a qualifying job search activity — and how many contacts are required — is defined by Maryland's program rules, which can be updated. The BEACON portal includes a section for logging work search activities.
Speaking with a Maryland DUI representative can clarify the status of your claim, explain what's needed to move a pending issue forward, or help correct a technical problem with your account. What it cannot do is change the underlying eligibility rules, override an adjudication in progress, or guarantee an outcome.
Your eligibility ultimately turns on your specific wage history, the documented reason for your separation, your employer's response, and how Maryland's rules apply to those particular facts — none of which can be resolved over a phone call alone.