Nice Gig if You Can Get It

Here's something I just learned. I generally don't pay much attention to unemployment insurance law since I don't qualify for it, but some people have been pretty smart at gaming the system. To wit: Under federal unemployment rules that are being changed Jan. 6, 2009, a worker who drew wages from jobs in two or more states could choose ANY STATE from which to claim the benefits. The smart ones all opted, evidently, for Massachusetts, which pays the highest unemployment sum in the nation at $628 a week plus $25 for each dependent. Come the New Year plus a few days, however, and new rules will force the unemployed to seek unemployment checks only from states in which they've actually worked. Massachusetts officials must be breathing easier.