Contract work and the dole

bongi69

Hi all,

I was made redundant last year, and have been on Jobseekers benefit since. I've recently been selected for 2nd round interviews for a job, but the thing is its a strictly 3 month contract, and they've stated there is very little chance of being kept on after the 3 months.

Does anyone know how this will affect my dole if I sign back on after the 3 months? I'm 23 and currently on the full €196 a week, as I signed on before the cuts. If I was to sign back on after the contract ended would I still get this, or would it be the lesser amounts now in place for the under 25's?

Any advice apprectiated...

vector

How would your new "employer" pay?

Would you be a sole trader, or a PAYE employee.

If you are the become a PAYE employee, and work 3 days max then you could stay on the "dole" albeit at a lesser rate.

If you were a sole trader, then if you find out what to do please tell me (I'm in that position, and the local office say they don't know)

I think the biggest problem is not that you'll get the post-budget rate, its that once you leave the system, youll be waiting 12 weeks+ to get back in?

dlambirl

AFAIK when you would sign back on, you would not get your old rate of €196.00. You would get the appropiate rate for under 25's. You would also have to wait the long number of weeks until your claim is processed

bongi69

vector wrote: »

How would your new "employer" pay?

Would you be a sole trader, or a PAYE employee.

If you are the become a PAYE employee, and work 3 days max then you could stay on the "dole" albeit at a lesser rate.

If you were a sole trader, then if you find out what to do please tell me (I'm in that position, and the local office say they don't know)

I think the biggest problem is not that you'll get the post-budget rate, its that once you leave the system, youll be waiting 12 weeks+ to get back in?

It would be as a PAYE worker, full time. Its just a little concern that I do have, as there's no guarantee that I'll have work to go to once the contract is finished.

dlambirl wrote: »

AFAIK when you would sign back on, you would not get your old rate of €196.00. You would get the appropiate rate for under 25's. You would also have to wait the long number of weeks until your claim is processed

I thought as much. This might actually affect my decision wether or not to take the job. Sounds crazy, I know, but if I came out with no job waiting to go to, I'd never be able to pay the bills, even though its only €40 odd less a week

cee_jay

dlambirl wrote: »

AFAIK when you would sign back on, you would not get your old rate of €196.00. You would get the appropiate rate for under 25's. You would also have to wait the long number of weeks until your claim is processed

Actually because you only signed off for 3 months, you would get 196 when you signed back on.

From welfare.ie:

The reduced age related personal and qualified adult rates of Jobseeker’s Allowance for claimants under 25 years of age do not apply in the following cases:

* Claimants with dependent children
* People transferring to Jobseeker’s Allowance immediately after finishing their entitlement to Jobseeker’s Benefit
* People transferring from Disability Allowance to Jobseeker’s Allowance
* Where an existing Jobseeker’s Allowance claimant is assessed at the higher rate of allowance gets work but loses that job and is back on Jobseeker’s Allowance within 12 months
* People under 25 participating in a course of education, training or Community Employment. However, when the course ends you will return to an age related JA payment, if you were getting one before you started the course.
* You were at least 20 years of age on 30 December 2009 and became unemployed on or before 30 December 2009
* You were 18 or 19 on 30 December 2009 and you became unemployed on or before 29 April 2009
* You are 22 to 24 and taking part in the Work Placement Programme run by FÁS.

Certain children in the care of the HSE during the 12 months before reaching 18 years of age will also be assessed using the JA rate for people aged 25 or over.

dlambirl

Ah not so bad OP - all is not lost!

Thanks for clearing that up cAr0l