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[Greg]

Does anyone have a seasonal job, such as landscaping or construction?  I was wondering how do you survive on the off season?  I know you can always rely on your savings, but I have heard some people get money from the government to compensate for the time you are not working.  Is this true?  If, so how do you go about getting this and how much can you expect to be paid?

[Betty]

I have a girlfriend and her husband does lanscaping for people during the summer months.  On his off season he receives a check from the government that is a fraction of the amount that he makes during his summer months of work. Unfortunately, I don't know how to apply for it nor what type of forms need to be completed.  It is important however, to report those earnings when doing your taxes.  Some people forget. 

[MaryG]

I have a friend whose husband works as a roofer/construction worker. He is very busy in the warm season, so much so that he has to turn down work, but has very little income over the winter months. They try very hard to put away money during the times he is working to make ends meet otherwise. He often does receive unemployment compensation but even though he has a call-back date because he is often out of work for more than the allotted weeks (8, I believe) the labor bureau requires him to look for work, keep a job search log and be "trained" in job hunting if he applies.