The base period is the four completed calendar quarters in which wages paid to you are considered for determining your Weekly Benefit Amount and the number of weeks of entitlement. In most cases the base period will be the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the week you file your new claim for benefits. If you do not qualify using this standard base period, then the UC will determine whether you qualify using the alternate base period. The alternate base period is the four most recent completed calendar quarters preceding the week in which you file your new claim for benefits.