Unemployment Base Period

Although different state unemployment agencies around the country can set their own standards, the calendar base period used in calculating unemployment benefits is generally considered to be the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before an employee first applies for benefits. A full base period is a year long but doesn’t include the quarter that is in progress when the application is made. The amount of wages the employee earned during the base period will determine the amount and duration of unemployment benefits available to that employee.

Since the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the date of the claim are used as the base period, a claim filed in July, August, or September of 2009 would have a base period of April 2008 through March 2009. For claims filed later in the year during October, November, or December 2009, the base period would be July 2008 through June 2009.

The base period is pushed back several months because the unemployment department receives wage reporting information from employers on a quarterly basis, the delay in information processing causes a lag in the time benefits are paid out. The lag time in payment does not affect long-time steady employees as much as those with shorter work histories who might have to wait until the base period catches up with their employment dates.

Always contact your own local state unemployment office for specific base period calculations before you file for unemployment.

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