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 Texas, 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 were unable to work due to illness, injury, or disability for at least seven weeks during the base period, you may be eligible for an extended base period. As long as you file your claim for benefits within 24 months of the date you were injured or fell ill, the Texas Workforce Commission will use the first four of the last five complete calendar quarters before your injury or illness as your base period.