Opinion ID: 1952540
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Board and District Court Decisions

Text: The board had determined that plaintiffs were between terms from the end of the 1990-1991 school year until the actual start of the 1991-1992 Pawtucket and Providence school years on September 9 and 12, respectively. In reversing the board, the District Court found, inter alia, that the 1991-1992 school term had commenced for purposes of § 28-44-68 on September 3, 1991, in Pawtucket and on September 4, 1991, in Providence. Accordingly, the District Court reasoned, plaintiffs ceased to be between terms on those dates and were, therefore, no longer precluded by § 28-44-68 from collecting unemployment benefits. The District Court judge found that plaintiffs were entitled to benefits or waiting-period credit to alleviate the economic suffering experienced between September 3 and September 9, 1991, by Pawtucket plaintiffs and between September 4 and September 12, 1991, by Providence plaintiffs. On appeal, the board of regents argued that the reference to `academic years or terms' in § 28-44-68 must be construed to apply to the rescheduled school year [or term], so that for purposes of § 28-44-68, the 1991-1992 school year started on September 9, 1991, in Pawtucket and on September 12, 1991, in Providence. Accordingly, the board of regents argued that from September 3 to September 12 plaintiffs were still between academic terms and therefore were disqualified by § 28-44-68 from receiving unemployment compensation. We agree.