Rhode Island General Laws Title 44. Taxation § 44-55-3. Definitions

(1) “Business” means any corporation, limited liability company, partnership, individual, sole proprietorship, joint stock company, joint venture, or any other legal entity through which business is legally conducted or any successors or assigns of the legal entity.

(2) “First year wages” means the Rhode Island wages or Rhode Island salary of the newly-hired employee and actually paid by the business for a period of three hundred sixty-five (365) days from the employee's first day of work as evidenced by the W-2(s) provided by the claimant's business for the calendar year into which the time period falls; provided, that wages subject to the incentive shall be reduced by any direct state or federal assistance.

(3) “Tax incentives” or “incentive” means a deduction or modification in computed taxes owed by a claimant's business.

(4) “Paid employment” means a period of time during which an employee has been hired by a business and is receiving Rhode Island wages or salaries for his or her service.

(5) “Unemployed” for the purposes of this chapter, means and refers to an individual who attests that he or she is not working, and: