Not a very big mark.
I decided, in the interest of keeping an open mind (something that I try to do always) to call Mass. Unemployment and ask. That seems simple enough, but we are all too stubborn to go to the source as long as we can come here instead. Plus, here we have the added benefit of disregarding answers that we don't like even if they are correct. Anyway, I figured that someone had to be the one to break down and actually ask the right questions at the right place. Might as well be me.
I learned a few things.
1. They will let you file an interstate claim from your home state. You cannot do this on the Mass website or by phone to them. You use your state's procedure and they will go collect from Mass.
2. Mass. will deny that claim if you have not worked in Massachusetts, but you will still be eligible to claim against any state where you did work or your home state if you meet the eligibility rules.
3. To combine wages for two or more states, you must physically be in the claims center - just as before - to open the claim initially.
To repoen that claim, you file an IB1 through your home state just as before.
4. There is a pending change to the federal law governing unemployment claims that will end this wonderful arrangement at some future date that nobody knows for sure. The new law will require you to file combined wage claims in your state of legal residence. The Mass. teleclaim line actually tells you to do this now, but you can disregard that for the moment.
5. The good news it that this hasn't happened yet, and there are plenty of houses for sale or rent in the Commonwealth if you decide to relocate there.
6. If you live in Mass., use the method that you prefer - telephone or walk-in center or internet - 'cause none of the above matters to you.
7. They still have direct deposit!!!!
If you still don't think I know what I'm talking about, call 617-626-6140, wait on hold for 22 minutes, and get the same answers that I did.