"Dole or no dole"

Ricardo G

Hi, just a quick question about people on the Dole (i am one myself).
As we are all well aware there are not too many full time positions available at the moment, the average person signing on the live register is being paid 196.60 every week in social welfare payments. Is it worth your while working 3 days a week (7 hours a day) for minimum wage and signing off while claiming the rest. I know a lot of people will say yes "anything to get me out of the house" but does it make sense financially ? and do people rely too much on the Dole ? Please note i am really only talking about the 20-30 age group that may be single with no kids, mortgage etc. If the Dole was only 80euro a week would we be more inclined to get up and scour the country for work?

drogsnookerclub

if you work 3 days you get paid a certain amount by the dole for another 3 days, it always works out that you're getting more than the dole as far a si know, i think thats the whole purpose of it!

shoegirl

It will keep your finger in the pie in terms of experience, so yes, it probably is worth it.

dan_d

Unfortunately some people - often, a lot more than "some" - will always calculate whether or not a job is worth their while by comparing the income to what they'll get on the dole. The lower the dole, the more likely they are to take a job, I suppose.

These are really the people the gov should be concerned with.....there are those of us out there (myself included) that will take the work, to keep myself busy, get experience etc,etc.

tenchi-fan

dan_d wrote: »

Unfortunately some people - often, a lot more than "some" - will always calculate whether or not a job is worth their while by comparing the income to what they'll get on the dole.

Yep, sad but true. A lot of recent graduates living at home are the worst culprits for job snobbery! I know someone who used to say he wouldn't lower himself to work in a supermarket or kitchen. In the past 2 years he did a few odd jobs (which "didn't affect his dole") .. oh and a fas course with work experience.

nachoman

dan_d wrote: »

These are really the people the gov should be concerned with.....there are those of us out there (myself included) that will take the work, to keep myself busy, get experience etc,etc.

Agreed! I'm going nuts on the dole, longterm is bad for your mental health.