By Associated Press, 7/26/02

ON THE WEB Odd Todd www.oddtodd.com

NEW YORK — The creator of a Web site about a jobless man can keep his unemployment money.

Todd Rosenberg, who created the cartoon site after he was laid off last year, does not have to return the $2,237.50 in benefits he received, an administrative judge ruled.

"Justice prevails!" read a message Thursday on Rosenberg's Web site. "I was cleared of all charges! Yea!"

Officials at the state Department of Labor had challenged Rosenberg's filing for unemployment, alleging that the Web site was a moneymaker for the man who dubbed himself "Odd Todd."

"As a joke, the claimant started a Web site poking fun at the day in the life of an unemployed person," the decision said. "It was simply a lark that turned into something lucrative."

Rosenberg filed for unemployment on June 13, 2001, after losing his job at a dot-com company. When he had trouble finding a new job, he launched his Internet site with cartoons about his job woes.

Rosenberg stopped collecting unemployment on Dec. 21, 2001.

What raised the state's interest was Rosenberg's November introduction of a "Tip Cup," which allowed visitors to contribute $1 to Odd Todd. Rosenberg was surprised to receive several thousand dollars from Web surfers.

The Labor Department said taking the donations were tantamount to running a business, making Rosenberg ineligible for any benefits. Rosenberg challenged the ruling, and received word of the judge's decision on Wednesday.

"There was no willful misrepresentation on his part," the decision said. "He was eligible for the benefits he received."