LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Change Provisions Relating to the Base Period; Change the Provisions Relating to Deductible Earnings; Change Provisions Relating to Benefit Experience and Variations from the Standard Rate of Employer Contributions During Certain Periods; Change the Provisions Relating to State-wide Reserve Ratio and Reductions in Tax Rate; Change Certain Time Periods; Change the ...

The Act, called the Employment Security and Enhancement Act of 2002, amends unemployment coverage for workers by creating an alternative base period to qualify more people by including their most recent quarter of earnings for eligibility determination. The Act increases deductible earnings from thirty dollars each week to fifty dollars each week for claims filed after July 1, 2002. The Act also changes the provisions relating to benefit experience and variations from the standard rate of employer contributions and to the State-wide Reserve Ratio and reductions in tax rate. The Act also increases the maximum weekly benefit amount from $284.00 for claims filed before July 1, 2002, to $295.00 for claims filed after July 1, 2002, and to $300.00 for claims filed after July 1, 2003.