jobseekers allowence and the reserve defence force

steve McQueen

I do 42 paid days a year with the reserve defence force and one evening a week unpaid

I am still seeking work and am available for work

do i still qualify for JSA?

Thanks

SarahMc

Its not really clear cut, and up to the Deciding Officer.

Following from Fingal Volunteer Centre:-

Job-seekers allowance

A person may engage in voluntary work and continue to be entitled to JA provided s/he continues to satisfy the conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work.A number of factors are taken into account by a Deciding Officer in determining whether the work involved is voluntary and whether a person would continue to satisfy the conditions for the receipt of JA, and these include:

the aims and standing of the voluntary organisation,
the nature of the work involved,
the weekly number of hours worked.
The employment must be truly voluntary and the Deciding Officer must be satisfied that the unemployed person is not engaging in work that would normally warrant liability for the payment of PRSI. The Voluntary Work Option embraces a wide variety of voluntary activities, e.g. assisting the elderly, the sick or the handicapped in their homes or in institutions or assisting voluntary bodies such as youth clubs and resident associations.