Unemployment Insurance (Maryland)

If you lost your job through no fault of your own, file your Maryland unemployment claim in BEACON, the state's online Unemployment Insurance portal, at beacon.labor.maryland.gov. If you cannot file online, call 410-949-0022 or 1-800-827-4839.

The weekly benefit ranges from a minimum of $50 to a maximum of $430, based on your prior wages, and benefits are available for up to 26 weeks, about six and a half months. Treat it as temporary support while you look for work.

One point sets honest expectations: the agency cannot pre-estimate your exact weekly amount, because it depends on factors like severance and your full wage history. Filing the claim is what triggers the calculation, so apply to learn your number rather than guessing.

To qualify you must be unemployed through no fault of your own and meet wage and work-search requirements. For claim purposes, a dependent is a biological child, stepchild, or legally adopted child under age 16 whom you support, and BEACON collects that information when you file.

The weekly routine is where claims quietly die. After filing, you must complete weekly certifications in BEACON to keep receiving benefits. Miss one and payment stops, so put the weekly date on a calendar.

Maryland's benefit helps but does not replace a paycheck, so stack support from week one. The Food Supplement Program catches many households, Medicaid keeps the family insured when job coverage ends, and 2-1-1 knows which local funds bridge rent between jobs.