Legislation

§ 527. Valid original claim. 1. Basic condition. "Valid original claim" is a claim filed by a claimant who meets the following qualifications: (a) is able to work, and available for work; (b) is not subject to any disqualification or suspension under this article; (c) his or her previously established benefit year, if any, has expired; (d) has been paid remuneration by employers liable for contributions or for payments in lieu of contributions under this article, other than employers from whom the claimant lost employment and for which the commissioner makes a determination disqualifying the claimant for misconduct pursuant to subdivisions three and six of section five hundred ninety-three of this article, for employment during at least two calendar quarters of the base period, with remuneration of one and one-half times the high calendar quarter remuneration within the base period and with at least two hundred twenty-one times the minimum wage established under subdivision one of section six hundred fifty-two of this chapter rounded down to the nearest one hundred dollars of such remuneration being paid during the high calendar quarter of such base period. For purposes of this section, the remuneration in the high calendar quarter of the base period used in determining a valid original claim shall not exceed an amount equal to twenty-two times the maximum benefit rate as set forth in subdivision five of section five hundred ninety of this article for all individuals. 2. Alternate condition. (a) An individual who is unable to file a valid original claim in accordance with subdivision one of this section, files a valid original claim by meeting the qualifications enumerated in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of subdivision one of this section and by having been paid remuneration by employers liable for contributions or for payments in lieu of contributions under this article, other than employers from whom the claimant lost employment and for which the commissioner makes a determination disqualifying the claimant for misconduct pursuant to subdivisions three and six of section five hundred ninety-three of this article, for employment during at least two calendar quarters of the base period, with remuneration of one and one-half times the high calendar quarter remuneration within the base period and with at least two hundred twenty-one times the minimum wage established under subdivision one of section six hundred fifty-two of this chapter rounded down to the nearest one hundred dollars of such remuneration being paid during the high calendar quarter of such base period. For purposes of this section, the remuneration in the high calendar quarter of the base period used in determining a valid original claim shall not exceed an amount equal to twenty-two times the maximum benefit rate as set forth in subdivision five of section five hundred ninety of this article for all individuals. (b) An individual who is able to file a valid original claim in accordance with subdivision one of this section, may make an application to the commissioner to determine his or her entitlement to benefits and benefit rate pursuant to paragraph (a) of this subdivision under the following conditions: (i) The claimant must file such application within ten days of the date the monetary determination was mailed by the department. (ii) In those circumstances where a wage data report in relation to the alternate condition is not due or has not been received, the claimant must provide proof of remuneration paid for such quarter to the commissioner's satisfaction in order for the claimant's application to be considered. (iii) Under those circumstances where such application results in the claimant being able to file a valid original claim under the basic condition and the alternate condition, the claimant may select the condition to be utilized. 3. Disability. In the case of a claimant who did not file a valid original claim solely because the claimant was not paid sufficient remuneration and who received workers' compensation payments or any benefits paid pursuant to the volunteer firefighters' benefit law during the base period specified in subdivision one of section five hundred twenty of this article, said period shall be extended. The term of the extension shall be equivalent to the number of calendar quarters during which the claimant received such payments, but shall not exceed two calendar quarters. 4. General condition. A valid original claim may be filed only in a week that qualifies as an effective week of unemployment for the claimant. 5. Utilization of wage credits. Remuneration used to establish a valid original claim pursuant to subdivision one, two or three of this section, may not be considered for the purpose of establishing a subsequent valid original claim except as provided by section five hundred twenty-eight of this article. 6. Work requirement. An individual who has filed a previous valid original claim pursuant to this section must have worked in employment and been paid remuneration for such work since the beginning of such previous claim in an amount equal to at least ten times the claimant's weekly benefit rate in order to be able to file a subsequent valid original claim.