Maine Department of Labor requires weekly certification through ReEmployME at maine.gov/unemployment by the Saturday end of each certification week. Maine requires 3 documented work search contacts per week. ReEmployME's certification asks about earnings, ability to work, work search activities, and job refusals. Maine's combination of seasonal industries and year-round employers means claimants in Bangor, Portland, and rural Maine face different job market realities — but Maine Department of Labor requires the same 3-contact weekly standard statewide, including for claimants in remote northern counties where job postings are limited.
- Certify in ReEmployME by Saturday each week. 3 work search contacts per week required.
- Report all earnings including seasonal, part-time, and fishing income each certification week.
- Maine accepts work search contacts with out-of-state and remote employers toward your 3-contact requirement.
Always verify exact numbers, deadlines, and forms on Maine Department of Labor's official website – this page provides general guidance, not state-specific legal advice.
What Counts as a Work Search Contact in Maine
Maine Department of Labor counts: job applications submitted in person, online, by email, or mail; telephone or email contacts with employers about open positions; formal job interviews; contacts with temporary staffing agencies about available work; and attendance at job fairs where you contact employers. Resume workshops and career counseling count toward work search participation but don't substitute for the 3-employer-contact requirement. Maine accepts contacts with employers outside Maine — out-of-state applications and remote position applications count toward the 3 weekly contacts.
Frequently Asked Questions
- I'm collecting Maine UI in Washington County where there are very few job postings. Can I apply for remote positions or Portland-area jobs to meet my 3-contact requirement?
- Yes — Maine Department of Labor accepts work search contacts with Portland-area employers, out-of-state employers, and remote positions toward your weekly 3-contact requirement. Maine's rural counties have limited local job markets, and ReEmployME's work search logging accepts any genuine employer contact regardless of geography. For Washington County claimants, a mix of contacts typically works: 1 local employer application, 1 Portland or Bangor-area job (if you're willing to relocate or commute), and 1 remote position that your skills match. Document all three in ReEmployME with employer name, position title, date, and contact method. Maine Department of Labor expects claimants to search actively, not just locally — the geography of Maine's rural job market is factored into how auditors evaluate Washington County and Aroostook County contact patterns.
- I caught lobster this week and sold my catch for $800. How do I report this in ReEmployME?
- Report the $800 as earnings in your ReEmployME weekly certification for the week you sold the catch. Self-employment earnings from lobstering must be disclosed in Maine's weekly certification even if you are collecting UI based on prior W-2 work. Maine Department of Labor offsets your UI benefit based on self-employment earnings — the specific reduction formula depends on whether your fishing is treated as wages from self-employment or earnings from covered work. Report the income accurately; Maine Department of Labor reconciles certifications against DOR income records. Failure to report fishing income when collecting Maine UI benefits creates an overpayment. If lobstering is your own business and you fish weekly, contact Maine Department of Labor to clarify how your ongoing fishing income interacts with your UI claim on a weekly basis.
- I attended a Maine Department of Labor job fair at the Augusta Civic Center. How many work search contacts does that count as?
- The job fair attendance itself counts as at least one work search contact — your attendance and engagement at a Maine Department of Labor-sponsored event. If you actively spoke with individual employers at the job fair and collected their business cards or contact information, each employer conversation may count as a separate work search contact in ReEmployME — log each employer interaction separately with the company name, position discussed, and the fair date. Maine Department of Labor job fairs are often treated as multi-contact events if you're documenting individual employer conversations rather than just logging "job fair attendance." Ask the job fair organizer for an attendance certificate to support your work search log.
- I missed a week of ReEmployME certifications because I had a family medical emergency. Can I claim that week?
- Contact Maine Department of Labor immediately when you're able to. Maine's late certification policy generally requires good cause for missing the Saturday deadline — a documented family medical emergency is one of the more compelling good cause arguments. Call Maine Department of Labor's UI line and explain the situation, or contact through ReEmployME's messaging function. Provide documentation of the emergency (hospital records, emergency room visit, etc.). Maine may allow a backdated certification for the missed week if good cause is established. Going forward, even during a medical emergency, try to certify from a phone or have a trusted person certify on your behalf if ReEmployME allows agent access — missing certifications creates gaps in your benefit payments that are cumbersome to restore.
- I turned down a part-time lobster boat position because it pays $150/week and I'm getting $623/week in Maine UI. Was I required to take it?
- Maine's suitable work standard is the key question. At $623/week on UI and early in your claim, a $150/week position that represents a major wage reduction from your prior full-time work is likely not "suitable work" under Maine's standards — wage reduction is a major suitability factor. Maine Department of Labor evaluates suitability based on your prior wages, occupational experience, and how long you've been on UI. If you've been on UI for an extended period (16+ weeks) or were previously employed in lobster boat work at similar wages, Maine Department of Labor may revise the suitability analysis. Contact Maine Department of Labor if you're unsure whether a specific offer meets suitable work standards before refusing it — unexpected refusal-to-accept-work disqualifications are common when claimants don't verify suitability in advance.