JSA 2 weeks of holiday in any calendar year query

takamichinoku

I'm going to be in Berlin from December 27th until a currently undetermined date, would I be able to collect up three weeks JSA on returning to Ireland as the first week is in 2011 and I'd then have two new holiday weeks available for 2012?

Or, is it possible that they could count the first week as part of next years holiday allowance due to the two week long holiday ending in 2012?

Thank you for any help you can give!

tenchi-fan

From http://www.welfare.ie/en/pages/jajbfaq.aspx:

If you intend going on holidays abroad, you should inform the Local Office two weeks in advance of your departure and complete form UP 30. All holiday payments will be made retrospectively when you return. If you go on holiday for longer than two weeks, you may be paid in respect of the first two weeks, but will not receive payment for any period abroad in excess of this.

Short answer, no, you cannot go on holiday for more than 2 weeks. If you come back you can give them more notice then head off again for another 2 weeks.
This is my reading of it. Perhaps you could agree something else with the dole office, though I doubt it.

eastbono

takamichinoku wrote: »

I'm going to be in Berlin from December 27th until a currently undetermined date, would I be able to collect up three weeks JSA on returning to Ireland as the first week is in 2011 and I'd then have two new holiday weeks available for 2012?

Or, is it possible that they could count the first week as part of next years holiday allowance due to the two week long holiday ending in 2012?

Thank you for any help you can give!

You have to apply for holidays 2 weeks in advance and have a return date. In your case your return date is undetermined so you claim will be payment suspended until you return and prove what date your returned e.g. boarding pass. You are entitled to payment for the week in 2011 if you have not already exhausted your holiday entitlement and you have an entitlement to 2 weeks in 2012 but the fact that it will be 3 weeks in total your claim will still be payment suspended until you return.

takamichinoku

If I return before the second Friday of 2012, will I still have one week's holiday pay available for later in 2012 or are you supposed to take it all in bulk?

gustafo

takamichinoku wrote: »

If I return before the second Friday of 2012, will I still have one week's holiday pay available for later in 2012 or are you supposed to take it all in bulk?

your best bet is going in and asking them, they are the only people who can give you the answer for sure.

eastbono

takamichinoku wrote: »

If I return before the second Friday of 2012, will I still have one week's holiday pay available for later in 2012 or are you supposed to take it all in bulk?

You dont have to take it in bulk. You need to go into your sw office and apply for holidays early next week. As I said already you need to apply 2 weeks in advance for holidays so that payments can be stopped and then set up to be released on your return. As expired payments from post office take about 3 weeks to kick back to sw and you will not receive any money until the expired payments kick back.

takamichinoku

I'm popping down to the office either tomorrow or Monday, do you happen to know if I need any kind of proof of the dates I'll be over there? In other words, will I have to have a return flight purchased beforehand?

The two times I've posted things in here you've been a great help, eastbono, thanks man!

eastbono

takamichinoku wrote: »

I'm popping down to the office either tomorrow or Monday, do you happen to know if I need any kind of proof of the dates I'll be over there? In other words, will I have to have a return flight purchased beforehand?

The two times I've posted things in here you've been a great help, eastbono, thanks man!

You fill out a UP30 form (holiday form) with the date you are going and the date you are returning. If you dont have a return date they will suspend your payment from the day you leave until the day you return and prove that you are back in the country with a boarding pass for the return date and then will release your payments. (Each office is different but this should be standard practice).

takamichinoku

Actually, what's the maximum overall amount of time you can stay abroad without having to start the whole JSA application process from scratch? I can't seem to find any information regarding this online.