http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...t_benefits_lost
Man Working for Free, Loses Benefits
Tue Sep 2, 9:58 AM ET Add AP - Feature Stories to My Yahoo!
BUFFALO, N.Y. - John Bothe was unemployed with time to spare — so he paid a radio station about $1,000 for air time to showcase his talents as host of a Saturday sports show.
Now he's finding the price of that show may be much higher.
The state Labor Department (news - web sites) determined that Bothe's unpaid radio gig qualified as work and disqualified him from receiving unemployment benefits.
Not only has the state put a halt on future benefits, it wants Bothe to return $605 he already collected.
"My definition of work is doing a job and getting paid for it, not paying them," said Bothe, who lost his first appeal. He'll make his case again at an administrative hearing Sept. 8.