You know, I would submit that is exactly what his dad and he have done all their lives with construction crews and workers. Work them right up to the 80 or 90 day benefit deadline and can them and bring in another crew.
Newmedman would likely know what I'm writing about above. I've known many tradesmen who get on jobs and then get laid off one day before they were to collect benefits and medical and then see an entire new crew show up at the site the next day. One guy I know finally quit the contractor who he thought was a good guy. The boss would tell the crew he's keeping them on for the next job, but took them off the site and started them two days later calling it an entire new contract. He finally figured it out. This was some time ago so things may be better or worse for jobbers.