Someone is paying for that check. In most cases it's the previous employer.
Employers pay into the unemployment system but it is also funded by tax dollars. It is a combination of both with the largest portion being the tax dollars. Why do you think this "entitlement" and all the increases in both money and time that happened in the recent past were such a hot political issue.
What is your definition of looking for and having the intention of accepting another job? While I was unemployed as a seasonal firefighter I was constantly looking for new career opportunities, alwhile having time and budgets funds to travel, improve my resume etc. it does not require your every waking minute to conduct a thorough job search. Being selective with what job you choose to accept is not criminal and utilizing a program that you pay into on the 1st and 15th of every month is not a crime.
The path your bashing is a well known, regularly pursued path by entry level firefighters across the country. So much so, that department's tailor their policies toward making the lifestyle fit for the backbone of their agency, the seasonal firefighter. The USFS firefighter apprenticeship program requires you to be laid off your first two fire seasons, but they're still permanent employees. I still don't see how that's criminal or lacking intergrity.
Pags is correct, those paychecks come out of the USFS's pot of money, same goes for Cal Fire. I can't speak for any other state but that is pretty standard.
I was on unemployment twice when I was furloughed from my airline. The legal requirements were that you were actively seeking new employment, and you were required to accept any job within your career field that paid as much as the job you you were laid off from. This was for both Nevada and Hawaii unemployment. At the required briefing by the unemployment office, they stated these were federally mandated requirements so they are applicable to every state.
Actively seeking a job is not traveling during the off season or using unemployment money for a known predictable and regular layoff. USFS and Cal Fire might have jobs with known unpaid off seasons, but that just means those knowningly working those jobs are entitled to unemployment compensation as what is basically being used as an off season income. It is not their problem how their employees survive during the off season nor is it their problem to enforce unemployment compensation laws. They just want people willing to put up with their job shenanigans. I doubt you will ever find anyone in their organization willing to go on record offically advocating what you discribe.
BTW, there are plenty of other seasonal or part time jobs that pay what you get from unemployment. Substitute teaching is one that readily comes to mind. I substitute taught many times during my furlough when there were no flying jobs available. I typically made more money on a weekly basis doing this than I recieved from unemployment. Substitute teaching is not a full time job so it does not stop your unemployment. Instaed for each dollar earned during the week, a dollar less is paid in unemployment compensation for that week.When I needed to use the time for a job search activity (interview, etc.), I had the flexibility to do so and for that time I drew the unemployment as I was legitimately unable to work because of the permanent job search activity. Since unemployment is actually dollar based and not time base, it actually extended the safety net for longer periods.
Pilots in the situation you discribe can easily substitute teach during the off season without hurting the path to year round firefighter emplyment. And school districts will welcome them back every off season.
As a tax payer what you advocate pisses me off. I don't work year round to support anyones's off season because they choose to work this type of job as a career. If I had other than hearsay information, I'd report it to the appropriate unemployment office fraud division for investigation.
). Still, I think my butt is safe.