Sec. 34. (a) The definitions in this section apply throughout this article.
(b) "Rate of insured unemployment" means the percentage derived by dividing:
(1) the average weekly number of individuals filing claims for regular compensation in this state for weeks of unemployment with respect to the most recent 13 consecutive week period (as determined by the department on the basis of this state's reports to the United States Secretary of Labor); by
(2) the average monthly employment covered under this article for the first four (4) of the most recent six (6) completed calendar quarters ending before the end of such 13-week period.
(c) "Regular benefits" means benefits payable to an individual under this article or under the law of any other state (including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to ex-servicemen pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 8501 through 8525) other than extended benefits.
(d) "Additional benefits" means benefits other than extended benefits and which are totally financed by a state payable to exhaustees by reason of conditions of high unemployment or by reason of other special factors under the provisions of any state law. If extended compensation is payable to an individual by this state and additional compensation is payable to the individual for the same week by any state, the individual may elect which of the two (2) types of compensation to claim.
(e) "Extended benefits" means benefits (including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to ex-servicemen pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 8501 through 8525) payable to an individual under the provisions of this article for weeks of unemployment in the individual's "eligibility period". Pursuant to Section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code extended benefits are not payable to interstate claimants filing claims in an agent state which is not in an extended benefit period, against the liable state of Indiana when the state of Indiana is in an extended benefit period. This prohibition does not apply to the first two (2) weeks claimed that would, but for this prohibition, otherwise be payable. However, only one (1) such two (2) week period will be granted on an extended claim. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter, with respect to benefits for weeks of unemployment beginning after October 31, 1981, if the benefit year of any individual ends within an extended benefit period, the remaining balance of extended benefits that the individual would, but for this clause, be entitled to receive in that extended benefit period, with respect to weeks of unemployment beginning after the end of the benefit year, shall be reduced (but not below zero (0)) by the product of the number of weeks for which the individual received any amounts as trade readjustment allowances within that benefit year, multiplied by the individual's weekly benefit amount for extended benefits.
(f) "Eligibility period" of an individual means the period consisting of the weeks in the individual's benefit period which begin in an extended benefit period and, if the individual's benefit period ends within such extended benefit period, any weeks thereafter which begin in such extended benefit period. For any weeks of unemployment beginning after February 17, 2009, and before January 1, 2012, an individual's eligibility period (as described in Section 203(c) of the Federal-State Unemployment Compensation Act of 1970) is, for purposes of any determination of eligibility for extended compensation under state law, considered to include any week that begins:
(1) after the date as of which the individual exhausts all rights to emergency unemployment compensation; and
(2) during an extended benefit period that began on or before the date described in subdivision (1).
(g) "Exhaustee" means an individual who, with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual's eligibility period:
(1) has received, prior to such week, all of the regular benefits including dependent's allowances that were available to the individual under this article or under the law of any other state (including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and ex-servicemen under 5 U.S.C. 8501 through 8525) in the individual's current benefit period that includes such week. However, for the purposes of this subsection, an individual shall be deemed to have received all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual although as a result of a pending appeal with respect to wages that were not considered in the original monetary determination in the individual's benefit period or although a nonmonetary decision denying benefits is pending, the individual may subsequently be determined to be entitled to added regular benefits;
(2) may be entitled to regular benefits with respect to future weeks of unemployment but such benefits are not payable with respect to such week of unemployment by reason of seasonal limitations in any state unemployment insurance law; or
(3) having had the individual's benefit period expire prior to such week, has no, or insufficient, wages on the basis of which the individual could establish a new benefit period that would include such week;
and has no right to unemployment benefits or allowances, as the case may be, under the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act, the Trade Act of 1974, the Automotive Products Trade Act of 1965 and such other federal laws as are specified in regulations issued by the United States Secretary of Labor, and has not received and is not seeking unemployment benefits under the unemployment compensation law of Canada; but if the individual is seeking such benefits and the appropriate agency finally determines that the individual is not entitled to benefits under such law, the individual is considered an exhaustee.
(h) "State law" means the unemployment insurance law of any state, approved by the United States Secretary of Labor under Section 3304 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Formerly: Acts 1971, P.L.355, SEC.7; Acts 1973, P.L.239, SEC.2. As amended by Acts 1977, P.L.262, SEC.4; Acts 1981, P.L.209, SEC.3; Acts 1982, P.L.95, SEC.2; P.L.2-1987, SEC.27; P.L.18-1987, SEC.24; P.L.21-1995, SEC.64; P.L.175-2009, SEC.3; P.L.12-2011, SEC.1; P.L.171-2016, SEC.2; P.L.200-2025, SEC.1.
