Alternative Base Period Act
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE
This Act shall be called the “Alternative Base Period Act.”
SECTION 2. ALTERNATIVE BASE PERIOD
After section XXX, the following new section XXX shall be inserted:
1. If an individual does not have sufficient qualifying weeks or wages in the base period to qualify for
unemployment insurance benefits, the individual shall have the option of designating that the base period
shall be the “alternative base period,” which means:
a. The last four completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the individual’s benefit period, or
b. The last three completed calendar quarters immediately preceding the benefit period and, of the
calendar quarter in which the benefit period commences, the portion of the quarter which occurs before the
commencing of the benefit period.
2. The [unemployment insurance agency] shall inform the individual of the option under this section.
3. If information regarding weeks and wages for the calendar quarter or quarters immediately preceding the
benefit period is not available from the regular quarterly reports of wage information, and the [unemployment
insurance agency] is not able to obtain the information using other means pursuant to state or federal
law, the [unemployment insurance agency] may base the determination of eligibility for unemployment
insurance benefits on the affidavit of an individual with respect to weeks and wages for that calendar
quarter. The individual shall furnish payroll documentation, if available, in support of the affidavit. A
determination of unemployment insurance benefits based on an alternative base period shall be adjusted
when the quarterly report of wage information from the employer is received, if that information causes a
change in the determination.
SECTION 3. EFFECTIVE DATE
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2004.