August 19, 2026
Your benefit amount is determined by how much you worked and earned during a 12-month period called the “Base Period.” A Base Period is defined as the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters. There are 4 quarters in a calendar year:
The 1st quarter is January, February, and March.
The 2nd quarter is April, May, and June.
The 3rd quarter is July, August, and September.
The 4th quarter is October, November, and December.
To calculate your base period, first determine the quarter in which you filed your initial claim.
If you filed your initial claim in the 1st quarter of 2009, your Base Period is the 4th quarter of 2007 through the 3rd quarter of 2008.
If you filed your initial claim in the 2nd quarter of 2009, your Base Period is the 1st quarter of 2008 through the 4th quarter of 2008.
If you filed your initial claim in the 3rd quarter of 2009, your Base Period is the 2nd quarter of 2008 through the 1st quarter of 2009.
If you filed your initial claim in the 4th quarter of 2009, your Base Period is the 3rd quarter of 2008 through the 2nd quarter of 2009.
Your new claim’s benefit amount will be based on where you worked during this 12-month period.
Last updated on: August 31, 2026