what’s wrong with this picture?

It’s a bit frustrating to follow the rules while other flout them. If this guy is bringing in $2,000 a month and not reporting it, what’s my incentive to play fair?

The Seattle Times: Life after layoff: Dales to sell the house

It also meant taking on a double-sized Seattle Post-Intelligencer motor route — technically an independent business — and putting it in Karen’s name in case Rodney ever needed to collect unemployment compensation. [emphasis mine]

Rodney has been collecting $496 a week in unemployment benefits, and extensions could carry that into next year.

The Seattle Times: Layoff family sells home, adjusts to apartment life

And he continues to drive a double-size Seattle Post-Intelligencer route, an independent business held in Karen’s name. The route takes about 5 hours a night and brings in $2,000 a month. Together, the jobs and unemployment checks add up to $5,000 a month.

It sounds a lot to me like he’s taking some trouble to adhere to the letter of the law without paying much attention to the spirit of it.

The last question asked in the weekly benefits certification process is “Did you work for any employer?” and I would say he is working for his wife’s independently held business. I wonder how he answers that question every Sunday?