(a) Defined. An extended benefit period consists of seven consecutive 14-day registration periods.

(b) Beginning date. In the case of unemployment benefits, an extended benefit period begins with the first day of unemployment after the day on which the employee exhausts his or her rights to normal unemployment benefits. In the case of sickness benefits, the beginning date is the first day of sickness after the employee exhausts normal sickness benefits. Such first day of unemployment or first day of sickness must be within the same benefit year with respect to which the employee exhausted normal unemployment or normal sickness benefits, as the case may be. However, no extended benefit period may begin on any day of unemployment or sickness prior to the date on which the employee acquired 10 years of railroad service.

(c) Ending date. An employee's extended benefit period ends on the 97th day after it began. If an employee attains age 65 during an extended sickness benefit period, such extended benefit period will terminate on the day next preceding the date on which the employee attains age 65, except that it may continue for the purpose of paying benefits for his or her days of unemployment, if any, during such extended period. If an extended sickness benefit period terminates because the employee has attained age 65, and if at that point the employee has rights to normal sickness benefits, the employee will be paid normal sickness benefits if he or she is otherwise entitled to payment thereof.

(d) Maximum number of compensable days. Extended benefits may be paid for a maximum of 65 days of unemployment (or 65 days of sickness, as the case may be) within an employee's extended benefit period.