McGuire v. Employment Development Department

*1039Opinion

MARGULIES, J.

Plaintiff Patrick J. McGuire was awarded regular unemployment compensation benefits, but his claim for extended unemployment benefits, filed when his regular benefits were exhausted, was denied. Defendant Employment Development Department (Department) reasoned that McGuire’s earnings during his “base period,” although sufficient to qualify him for regular benefits, were insufficient to satisfy the different eligibility test applied for extended benefits.

The “base period” is a one-year period preceding the claimant’s unemployment. By statute, the commencement date of the…