"The crew members are employed by the theater owners so they will keep their jobs and be paid handsomely for the long hours of a load out and then any improvements that need to be done to the theater. If they're lucky and there is another show coming in soon they will just have a short time before the load in work.
If there's a long gap they end up going on unemployment.
Source: friends who are current Broadway stagehands"
Sounds like you misunderstood. Only the heads of departments (props, carpentry, electrics) "keep" their jobs, and that only for as long as the load-out lasts (anywhere from two days to a week, usually). Only the show crew plus a few more are usually on the load-out, which are most often 8 hour days, and they are paid less than show rate for it. So, no, rarely are there "long" hours or "handsome" pay for a load-out, unless there is a very quick turnaround, which is uncommon.
Any improvements (restoration is what you probably mean) involve only the house heads and a couple-few more people, who may or may not be stagehands, depending on what needs to be done. The rest of the crew are out in the street or at the union hall taking any work they can find - as are the house heads if the theater remains dark. No show in the theater = no pay for the crew who worked on the last show - and no guarantee they'll be on the next show.
Just like anyone else, crew can apply for unemployment as soon as they are unemployed, though it is a fraction of what they make while working.
