On top of many wish lists this Christmas is "finding a job". A close second would be an extension of unemployment benefits for those who have maxed out.

President Obama is expected to sign a bill that would extend benefits for each state by 14 weeks. But here in Nevada it would be even more.

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If the president signs this bill, 10,000 Nevadans who have maxed out on their benefits could receive 20 more weeks - a total of 99 weeks. Meaning, the maximum amount you could collect in Nevada would be nearly two years.

But some critics say this extension only encourages laziness.

"You wake up late because you don't know what to do. I kind of meander around for awhile then eventually got on the Internet. When you do find something, you fill out a resume (but) you don't even hear back from them."

It would make sense for Tom Monahan to be happy that he just found a job. However, he fully admits he wishes he was back on unemployment.

"I work at a law firm as a file clerk. I figured out that I made more being unemployed than I do actually having a job."

With no kids and no mortgage, Monahan - much like many of his friends - spent a lot of time sitting around collecting from Uncle Sam.

But the state unemployment office says Monahan is the exception rather than the rule.

"I find it hard to believe that the majority of people are just sitting around not looking for work," says Mae Worthey, Nevada Department of Employment.

Hetty Chang: When people collect regular unemployment, not the extension, what do they have to do to prove they are looking for work?

Worthey: We have an entire department dedicated to detecting fraud, and if you are not looking for work, that is considered fraud. And we do random checks asking people to prove to us that they are looking for work, show us documentation of who they interview with or applications that they put in. People who are on state extended benefits actually have to mail in a form that shows documentation of them seeking work.

Hetty Chang: And does that include listing the names of employers they have applied with?

Worthey: Yes.

"In my six months I never got called to check up. And I know people who have never even heard from them aside from getting it. It says, ‘Have you been looking for work?' I mark yes. And, ‘Did you work this week?' No. And that's it."

"There's always going to be someone defrauding the system," says Worthey. "There's always going to be someone taking advantage. But that doesn't mean it applies to everybody."

The state unemployment office could not tell us how many employees are dedicated to its fraud division. But spokesperson Mae Worthey says people who cheat the system are a small portion of the 190,000 people on unemployment in Nevada.

The average check is $300 a week, which Worthey says is not enough to allow most people to sit around.

If the president signs the bill, which he's expected to, the checks will start going out in mid-December.

Only people who max out on their unemployment benefits before the end of the year will qualify. The measure also extends an $8,000 first time home buyers credit. Nevada's unemployment rate is now about 13.5 percent.

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