If you've filed for unemployment in Maryland — or need to resolve an issue with an existing claim — knowing which number to call and when can make a significant difference in how quickly your situation gets addressed. Maryland administers its unemployment insurance program through the Division of Unemployment Insurance (DUI), which operates under the Maryland Department of Labor.
Maryland's Division of Unemployment Insurance has several phone lines depending on what you need:
| Contact Purpose | Phone Number |
|---|---|
| Claims and general inquiries | 667-207-6520 |
| Maryland Relay (TTY/hearing impaired) | 1-800-735-2258 |
| Fraud reporting hotline | 410-767-2434 |
The primary claimant number — 667-207-6520 — handles most needs: new claims questions, payment issues, weekly certification problems, and general status inquiries.
📞 These numbers are subject to change. Always verify current contact information directly at the Maryland Department of Labor website (labor.maryland.gov) before calling.
Most routine interactions with Maryland's unemployment system happen online through the BEACON portal — Maryland's claims management platform. Weekly certifications, payment status, and many account updates can be handled there without calling.
Phone contact becomes necessary when:
If you receive a notice that your claim is under adjudication, that means a claims agent is reviewing specific eligibility questions — usually related to your reason for separation, availability for work, or information provided by your employer.
During adjudication, callers are often trying to:
Adjudication outcomes vary significantly depending on the circumstances of your separation. A layoff is typically treated differently than a voluntary quit or a discharge for alleged misconduct. Maryland, like most states, generally requires that a separation be involuntary and non-disqualifying for a claimant to receive benefits — but the specific facts matter considerably.
Before calling, it's worth knowing what Maryland's BEACON portal can handle:
Many claimants find that issues they assumed required a phone call can actually be resolved — or at least initiated — through BEACON. That said, system errors, identity verification holds, and complex claim issues still often require direct contact with a DUI agent.
Maryland's call center volume fluctuates considerably based on broader economic conditions. During periods of elevated unemployment — following mass layoffs, economic downturns, or regional industry disruptions — call wait times can increase substantially.
Factors that affect how long it takes to reach an agent include:
If you've received a formal Notice of Determination denying your claim or reducing your benefits, Maryland provides an appeal process through the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). Appeals in Maryland are generally heard by administrative law judges.
The determination letter itself will contain:
For appeal-related questions, the BEACON portal is typically the first point of contact, though claimants may also need to work directly with the OAH depending on the stage of review.
When an employer contests a former employee's unemployment claim — or provides information that differs from what the claimant submitted — the claim typically enters adjudication. Both parties may be contacted for a fact-finding interview.
Maryland employers interact with the DUI through a separate portal and contact process. If you're a claimant whose claim was denied following employer protest, that denial can generally be appealed through the standard process described in your determination letter.
Maryland takes unemployment fraud seriously. If you believe someone filed a claim using your identity, or if you're aware of someone fraudulently collecting benefits, the fraud hotline — 410-767-2434 — is the appropriate contact point. Identity fraud claims require prompt reporting and typically involve additional verification steps before a legitimate claim can be processed.
The specific outcome of any contact with Maryland's Division of Unemployment Insurance depends on the details of your claim, your employment history during the base period, the reason you separated from your employer, and how your specific facts align with Maryland's eligibility rules — details that no phone number alone can resolve, but that a DUI agent, your determination letter, and the BEACON portal are all designed to help you work through.