JSB. availability for work...

wha

Sorry for the really long post... I'm a bit confused!

I went in to apply for Job seekers benefit today. I'm living at home with my parents so I know I probably won't receive anything, but I've applied for a course which is funded by fás and the organisation who run it said in my interview today that although I was very suitable for the course that they have little say in who gets a place. Fás get to make the final decision and usually they give it to people who are receiving some sort of social welfare. They told me to go and sign up anyway as I might get something, and at least I'd be registered which might help my chances slightly.

In my job we give in the hours we want to work the following week and we must give a minimum of 12 hours. However, if there's no work on they can ring you up even an hour (sometimes even less) before a shift and tell you it's cancelled and you get no payment for this. I generally just put down the minimum 12 hours a week, as I have other commitments and hobbies which prevent me from doing more, the job is horrible and makes me miserable and I hate thinking I'm in work but kind of waiting around incase you get called and cancelled on at the last minute.

I was reading up on Job seekers benefit, and it says that on the days you don't work you must be fit for work, available for work and looking for work. But technically speaking this isn't true for me as there are some days when it would probably be possible for me to work if I had put down more hours.
I don't want to get in trouble over this if they decide to contact my employer. Technically I should be telling my job that I'm available all the time for work, but I'm not because I have other things like rehearsals for shows (unpaid) and studying for repeats that take up my time and are more important to me.

Should I be applying for JSB at all or am I breaking rules here? I'm not really applying to try to trick the state into giving me money, it's more to help my fás application because the thoughts of not getting my course and having to work in this job for another year are killing me!

saol alainn

Hi wha

The fact that you're not on benefits doesn't make a difference when it comes to FAS courses. If you pass the interview (if there is one), you could still get in. I'm not on benefits myself and have been on one since May. The difference this year is that as you're not on benefits, you won't get paid the equivalent. So don't think that you're "tricking the state". You'll cost them far less than if you were receiving benefits.

Good luck!