Help Wanted: Jobless benefits, pay credits

Her "eligibility would be based on her wage credits at the time she files her unemployment claim," the department said.

As to when she should file, the department recommends that people file during their first week of total or partial unemployment, since there is about a weeklong waiting period.

If she qualified, she would most likely receive up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits, unless one of the extension programs kicks in for her. Some people who have been unemployed for a while and meet certain criteria can receive up to 93 weeks of benefits: 26 regular weeks plus 67 weeks of federal extensions. For more details, go to the link for this story at Newsday.com.

And of course, once the benefits kick in, recipients must be actively looking for work to continue receiving the money legally.

Although our events typically last for six hours, we often work longer. During the holidays I worked as many as 46 hours a week. The company would give me premium holiday pay for the six hours over 40. But I feel it should have designated another six hours for overtime pay so that I truly received holiday pay. Am I correct on either issue? -- Grinch Boss?

On the other hand, if your company paid you less than the law stipulates for overtime, then it broke the law and owes you some money. The real test here is what you earned per hour for the overtime hours and not what that pay was called.