Maine
Laid off in Maine? Start here.
Who to call, what Maine law says about your notice, and the free state programs most people never hear about. Everything here is free, and every fact has its source at the bottom.
Who to call
Maine's free help, in one place.
Rapid Response is the state team that steps in around a layoff. The job center is where you sign up for career help and training. Unemployment is its own office.
- Rapid Response
- Maine Department of Labor207-623-7981Maine Bureau of Employment Services
- Unemployment
- Maine Department of Labor1-800-593-7660File a claimBefore you file, check how Maine treats severance with the Unemployment Check.
- Job center near you
- Find an American Job Center (search by ZIP code)
The Rapid Response team works with employers too, so say up front that you're a worker who was laid off and ask where to start. You don't need your employer's permission.
Your notice
Maine has its own layoff-notice law.
When a workplace of 100 or more people closes or relocates, Maine requires 90 days' written notice and severance: one week's pay for each full year you worked there.
26 M.R.S. § 625-B · Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26 § 625-B
See recent Maine notices on PinkSlipped's Layoff Wire.
Only in Maine
What's different here.
CareerCenters statewide
The Bureau of Employment Services runs Maine's CareerCenters and the state's Rapid Response.
Before the first call
Four free checks, in the order you'll need them.
They work for Maine and every other state, and none of them asks for your name.
- 1Unemployment CheckWhen to file, and the weeks severance may offset
- 2Runway CheckKnow your runway in ten minutes
- 3Insurance CheckCOBRA or the Marketplace: what coverage actually costs
- 4401(k) CheckWhat touching the 401(k) really costs
Your Plan puts the Maine calls in the right week, next to your unemployment claim and your severance deadlines. Build my free Plan
Sources
- U.S. Department of Labor, State Rapid Response Coordinators
- U.S. Department of Labor, How Do I File for Unemployment Insurance?
- Maine Revised Statutes, Title 26 § 625-B
- Maine Department of Labor, Bureau of Employment Services
Last reviewed October 26, 2026. Contacts and programs change; Maine's job center has the final word.
General education, not legal advice. PinkSlipped isn't affiliated with the U.S. Department of Labor or any state agency.