Job Bridge

Pizarro

I am claiming Job Seekers Allowance for myself and my wife. She has an interview for a position through Job Bridge. Will she be eligible to take the position if offered? The website says she needs to have a claim in, but if I'm claiming for her will that count? Does anyone have any experience with something like this? Any help would be appreciated. We've spoken to Fás, Job Bridge and the Social Welfare office but they all tell us something different.

Balagan

An adult dependant is not a claimant. However, your wife will still qualify though if she has been signing for credits http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_insurance_prsi/credited_social_insurance_contributions.htmlat at the SW office for at least 3 months of the past 6 months.

27.
Can Adult Dependents avail of an Internship?
A person that is not in receipt of any social welfare payment or signing for credits cannot apply for positions on an Internship Scheme.
http://www.jobbridge.ie/toolkit/faqintern.pdf

Q. Have you been in receipt of any of the following for a minimum of three months?

Jobseekers Allowance
Jobseekers Benefit
Signing for social insurance contribution credits


If you have answered YES to any of the above and you are actively seeking employment - then this scheme may be for you!

To be eligible for a place as an intern you must be on Live Register and currently in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit, Jobseekers Allowance or signing for Social Insurance Contribution Credits for 3 months or more in the last 6 months.
http://www.jobbridge.ie/interneligible.aspx

Pizarro

Thanks for that. I guess I should have looked harder.

eastbono

Go down to your local sw office as I know with Back to education allowance you can do whats called a spouse swap. They same may apply for Job Bridge.

Rebus2010

hi Pizarro,
can I ask what was the outcome? was your wife able to obtain the internship? husband in the same situation. many thanks.

Rebus2010

hi Balagan,
Unsure if a previous message was sent... do you know if spouse/dependent is still unable to benefit from the Job Bridge Scheme? What does an unemployed couple supposed to do? I am already on the Job Bridge Scheme. Spouse is eager to start on the scheme as well. FAS was unable to confirm if yes/no. Welfare office same thing... any views? many thanks Rebus.

Balagan

Your spouse is not qualifying for JobBridge because of being a dependant on your claim but not signing for credits? He/She should consider to start signing asap. Usually, the SW office arranges so they have to sign only every few months. It's very important for an adult dependant to sign for credits in order to protect future pension entitlements.

You can sign on for credits, if you are not entitled to a social welfare payment or you are qualified adult on your spouse's, civil partner's or cohabitant's social welfare payment as long as you:

Are unemployed
Available and capable of work
Genuinely seeking work
Have paid or credited PRSI contributions in either of the last two tax years
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/irish_social_welfare_system/social_insurance_prsi/credited_social_insurance_contributions.html

As far as I can see from the JobBridge website and Citizens Information, the qualifying criteria for the internships haven't changed with regard to having a claim or be signing for credits. But from what we read, there isn't a fast uptake of the internships, so maybe they will change the rules. At any rate, as it stands now, once your spouse starts signing for credits, he/she would qualify for JobBridge in three months' time. Once signing for credits has commenced, there might be some chance of getting the qualifying period shortened. Put that query to Social Welfare (Dept of Social Protection) only as Fas is just administering JobBridge, not calling the shots, and they send any query to SW anyway. You should both put your case to the Social Welfare, stressing if you hadn't previously known the importance of signing for credits. Others posting here may have more information.