Market Basket workers whose hours were slashed will be able to seek unemployment benefits, even though CEOs say they are still employees.

A spokesman for the Department of Unemployment Assistance told WBZ NewsRadio 1030 Friday that part-time workers can apply for monetary benefits.

Workers can call 617-626-6800 to seek benefits. They can also apply online or over the phone.

The news comes on the heels of a widespread panic yesterday as many workers thought they had lost their jobs at the supermarket chain. Supervisors informed some part time workers yesterday that they would no longer have shifts scheduled for the upcoming week and any employees interpreted the change as sweeping layoffs.


At the time, organizers of the Save Market Basket movement encouraged workers to seek unemployment benefits and to reach out to the Attorney General, who received hundreds of calls and set up a hotline to handle requests.

The new Market Basket CEOs subsequently debunked the rumors, releasing a statement reassuring workers that they were still employees. They maintained that the change to hours was simply a routine shift to accommodate lower customer levels.

Customers have been boycotting the supermarket chain since its president, Arthur T. Demoulas, was ousted from the company last month.

Employees and customers have dragged protests into a third week, staging the largest rally to date on Tuesday. The board of directors is still mulling over potentially selling the company.