The weather is cooling off up here and that means construction work is slowing down, and will eventually grind to a halt when the ground freezes. I live in a very rural area, most people are either farmers or construction workers.

From late fall until spring most construction workers get laid off due to the weather and begin collecting unemployment. It is sort of the mentality too that it is like paid time off.

It is a bit unsettling really since most people know where they live and the nature of their work, but don't save any money up for winter and happily accept the unemployment money each week.

I worked cash jobs out of high school for a few years until I got my first on the books job and collected that first winter for a few months, and began to feel gradually more crappy about it. Late winter one day I just stopped claiming, since I didn't feel right taking the money when I was at home healthy and ready to work. I told my friend about it and he said "But it's free money".

I am self employed now so even if I needed it they wouldn't let me claim, and since I began having to save money to get through winter I have become a little disillusioned with the system and how much it is abused here yearly.

Be quiet, comrade.

Pride...
It's not for everyone.

the unemployment system runs on taxes. I work for myself, so I'm not eligible for unemployment. but here's how I feel about it: if they are going to tax me for it, and I am eligible, I won't hesitate to collect.

No. Extended UI runs on Federal grants from taxes. The original UI duration is covered by insurance premiums paid by the employer as a condition of hiring help.

Technically you are supposed to be looking for work. In IL if you're in a union and get laid off all you do is tell them you on the available for work list at the hall.  Collect a check until it runs out or the hall calls you back. None of that mucking around looking for a job bullshit.

When I became an adult I didn't look for seasonal occupations or occupations where things were up to nature, like farming or fishing.  Too risky.

Yep.  All the contractors n construction workers are coming up on vacation time.  

hell ya, collect unemployment and work under the table

It's big around here, especially the loggers.  Even the golf employees at the resort, (the course closes for the winter) go on unemployment every year. It's good work vacation if you can get it.

Construction guys who get laid off here will not really look hard during hunting season and I've had more than one guy ask me to lay him off during hunting season.

*rimshot*

Illegal immigrants can collect unemployment?

Yup. Those deer r more important than making a living.  Im a hunter n i still find time to kill deer n work full time.

Definitely.

There are some very prominent, well off farmers in Kansas who collect nice unemployment checks after they harvest in October and before they plant in May.

Agree.

There are retailers hiring seasonal employees to deal with the influx of consumers in the last quarter with the mall being local and apparently full enough to warrant 24 hour operation later in the year. During the rest of the year, the FSA is out in full force.

Yeah, I've known people who do that.

It's the entitlement mentality.