JB: <260 paid contributions = max 9 mths payment?

variety

I'm currently negotiating with my boss to try and keep me at work five days, but he' adamant that he can't afford it and needs me down to a 3 days week. So I've been doing research.

I'm entitled to a reduced payment under Jobseekers Benefit for a 3 day week.
However, I've just read this:

"Budget 2009 made a number of changes to Jobseeker’s Benefit:
Since 15 October 2008, Jobseeker's Benefit can be paid for a maximum of 12 months to people who have at least 260 paid contributions. Jobseeker's Benefit can be paid for a maximum of 9 months to people who have less than 260 paid contributions." (http://www.citizensinformation.ie/categories/social-welfare/social-welfare-payments/unemployed-people/unemployment_benefit).

Does this mean that I have to have been employed and contributing to PRSI for 21 years (ie. 260 contributions divided by 12 months of the year) before I could get 12 months of reduced JB payments?

I don't think I'm reading it right. I've been employed for 3 years and 1 month and am paid monthly, so have only contributed 37 times.

Help!! If the above is correct, I'm going to have to rethink my position in the company and look elsewhere for full-time employment.

Thanks, in advance...
(And sorry for the long post - hope it makes sense.)

Citizens Information: Graham

Hi variety


PRSI contributions are paid every week, and it doesn't matter whether you are paid weekly or monthly, your employer should pay a contribution for each week that you have worked.

If you are in continuous employment for one year then you should have 52 contributions. If you work part-time, in some situations you may not have the maximum number of contributions in the year.

Graham Long
Citizens Information

variety

Thanks, Graham. I still wouldn't qualify for the whole term, then. At least I know and can make decisions based on that.

e11e

I have been on jobseekers benefit for almost 9 months now and am wondering how long is my entitlement. What time span is on the 260 contributions? Do they have to be continuous?

I have definitely paid 260 contributions in the past, but I took a year out abroad in 2004/2005, will that matter? Also, i was a student before signing on, but in 2007, the year which my claim is based on, I had contributions.

Citizens Information: Graham

Hi e11e


if you have paid 260 contributions since you started working, you should get Jobseeker's Benefit for 12 months.

You can find out more about this here: http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/jb_jobseekben.aspx#contribconds

Graham Long
Citizens Information

Angie

If Variety was put on a 3 day week, would it matter if the employer said "this week you work Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, but next week I might want you to work Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday"?
I was told that if you are not on a set 3 day week that you would be entitled to slightly more benefit. I can't see how this is.
I'm getting confused by all the information.

tommy21

Angie wrote: »

If Variety was put on a 3 day week, would it matter if the employer said "this week you work Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday, but next week I might want you to work Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday"?
I was told that if you are not on a set 3 day week that you would be entitled to slightly more benefit. I can't see how this is.
I'm getting confused by all the information.

Angie, you will be on casual job seekers benefit - this means each week you drop in a slip to a drop box in your social welfare office with the days marked that you worked and didn't work each week. This means you will be paid via cheque each week and will not have to go in each month to "sign-on" - the fact that your dropping in slips is eveidence enough. So one week you might mark Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, the next it might be Thursday and Friday. As long as its not more than 3 days a week (not including Sunday which means you could potentially work this in another part-time job and it would not impact on your benefit), you will be able to stay on job seekers benefit.

The rate is adjustable depending on how many days you work in a given week. For every day you work, you essentially lose 1/6th of your benefit for that week (but obviously that is balanced out by the greater amount you earn on that day from working in your job).

In my case, I get a reduced casual job seekers benefit (as I live at home) of 130 per week (196 is the normal amount I think). Most weeks I work one day a week and so get 105 per week. If I work a second day, I get about 85 per week and so on. Hope this makes sense.

Angie

Thanks tommy21

suitseir

Sorry for hijacking the OP's post but hopefully, someone reading these posts may be able to enlighten me.....


I have just received a letter from the Social Welfare saying that my JSB is coming to an end - only fully unemployed since begining of January 2010.

I just want to get an understanding of this because I foolishy thought that I would be getting JSB for at least 9 months.

From 2003 to 2008 I was in full-time employment then from January 2009 to December 2009 I was working 2 days a week and claiming JSB for the other 3 days. I was then made fully unemployed from 1st. January 2010 and started to get JSB at 196 Euro p.w. to date. I have now been informed that I will be cut off in 24 days time. From reading the Citizens Info website, I was under the impression that the JSB was paid out on the contributions made 2 years ago. Can anyone advise me if the JSB payments for last year and this year, so far have accumulated to the full amount? Am I just wasting my time contacting the social welfare office to see if they have made a mistake?

Thanks

cee_jay

You started claiming JSB in Jan 2009. If you were on systematic short time, then you were getting paid 3 days a week, which would have been approx 156 days paid.
Then since Jan 2010, you have been getting paid 6 days a week, which is approx 12 weeks => 72 days approx. That in total is 228 days approx. So the letter would be right (you would have 234 days of JSB if you qualified for 9 months payment).

suitseir

Thanks for the reply.

But I rang my former boss just now and he rang his accountant. His lien on the story is even though I was on Systematic Short time a stamp was still being paid. Looking at my P45 issued to me in Jan 2010 it states that there were 53 weeks of Class A paid. Looking at the Citizens Info site it says that 13 weeks had to be paid in the relevant tax year, which was paid. Have I still got a case?

Citizens Information: Graham

Hi suitseir

It is possible to re-qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit if you have 13 weeks of PRSI contributions paid after you have received JB for 156 days. You also need to have had a further loss of employment - for example, from 3 days per week to 2 days per week, and to have enough contributions in the relevant tax year (2008).

Based on the information you've given I'm not sure you would qualify for this, but it would be worthwhile checking the situation with your Social Welfare Local Office. As I'm sure you know you may qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance when your JB ends, depending on your circumstances.

Graham Long
Citizens Information

cee_jay

Citizens Information (Graham) wrote: »

Hi suitseir

It is possible to re-qualify for Jobseeker's Benefit if you have 13 weeks of PRSI contributions paid after you have received JB for 156 days. You also need to have had a further loss of employment - for example, from 3 days per week to 2 days per week, and to have enough contributions in the relevant tax year (2008).

Based on the information you've given I'm not sure you would qualify for this, but it would be worthwhile checking the situation with your Social Welfare Local Office. As I'm sure you know you may qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance when your JB ends, depending on your circumstances.

Graham Long
Citizens Information

I echo what Graham has said, the 13 contributions come into play when trying to requalify for JSB.
If, after 156 days of claiming JSB, you have paid 13 A Class stamps, you may requalify for JSB. If you were on SST, your 156th day would have been in December, and as you were fully unemployed from Jan 2010, it sounds as if you would not requalify for JSB, and would have to apply for JSA instead.

suitseir

Sorry for being a pain again!

I received a letter the other day from FAS, as I registered with them when finished in full time employment, and I have been called to an information morning in two weeks time. It is a course that I am very interested in.

I read this on the department's website:


Courses of education, training or development

A person shall be deemed to be available for work while participating in a course of education, training or development approved by the Minister provided that

s/he is at least 21 years of age
s/he has been in receipt of JA/JB for at least 6 months (156 days)
s/he has given prior notice of his/her intention to participate in the course.



Would I presume from this that I may qualify for a FAS training or allowance?

Thanks for any info. I just want to be ARMED with info when I call to Social Welfare office.