The base period is the length of time used both to determine your eligibility for unemployment benefits and to calculate the amount you will receive.
In Rhode Island, the base period is the first four of the five complete calendar quarters immediately before you filed for benefits. For example, if you file for benefits on March 15, 2024, your base period will be from October 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. It would not include the most recent complete calendar quarter before you filed (October 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023) or the first two-and-a-half months of 2024.
If you did not earn enough to qualify for benefits during the regular base period, you may be able to use an alternate base period that counts more recent earnings. In Rhode Island, the alternate base period is the last four complete calendar quarters before you file your claim.
If you had a workplace illness or injury and received workers' compensation benefits, but could not be reinstated because your job was not available or no longer existed, you may be eligible for an extended base period. Under Rhode Island law, your base period will be calculated as if you had filed for benefits on the date of your injury.