Jobbridge scheme application process

mick_mac

Has anyone been experiencing any problems when bringing their completed (by employer & candidate) application forms to their local social welfare office to be signed and processed ?.
I have been lucky enough to be offered a placement but when I brought the signed forms to the welfare office who completed the form and verified that I was signing on for the required 78 days, they then handed the forms back to me and said to return them to the prospective employer.
I informed them that it states on the application form and website that they should forward it on to the jobbridge scheme but as far as they were concerned they had nothing more to do it and wouldn't know who/where to forward the application on to.
I refused to accept them back and insisted they were to handle them, eventually they said they would forward them on to their own head office but didn't know if they had anyone there who be any the wiser.
Yes they are very helpful and courteous in my local welfare office and didn't make me feel like a piece of **** that just walked in off the street, who was to be looked down on (sarcasm).
Has anyone else experienced this lack of knowledge/ignorance when handing in the application form to the welfare office.
Prior to this I had phoned the jobbridge scheme and was told this is the procedure to follow.
For anyone who has started the scheme can you tell me what procedure they followed ? and who accepted the completed application form.
Thanks a mil.

DBDH

Hey mick mac,
With regards to the Social Welfare Office not having a clue about how to deal with JobBridge forms etc - it seems to be a commonplace problem.
In my case, I had the form filled out/signed by the employer, then I brought it to the Social Welfare Office where they stamped it, confirmed I'd been on the dole so many days and signed it. They then handed it back to me and I posted it off to the JobBridge offices in Offaly myself (but not before I made a few copies for my own records).

This is the eligibility form that confirms you're eligible to partake in the JobBridge scheme and its key to getting your internship started and your payments processed -(I think the employer has to check the JobBridge system to get confirmation that you're eligible to start the internship and this info comes from the JobBridge offices once they receive this form).
I'd try and chase this form up, especially if you don't have a copy - perhaps ring the JobBridge crowd and if worst comes to worst, the employer can simply print off and sign another form (which you can bring to the Social Welfare Office to fill out again) and then send it off yourself.

Then before you start the internship, you'll have to make another trip to the Social Welfare office to give them your bank account details so they can make your dole payments electronically - again this is not something they seem to sort out at the first attempt either.
Best of luck with it!

mick_mac

Hi DBDH,
Thanks for the reply, as you say in your situation my prospective employer also had contacted the job bridge scheme and was sent the application form which they and I filled out, it was only when I gave it to the welfare office that problems began.
I have sent the JB scheme an email informing them of the situation so I hope to hear back as to what I should do next.
Unfortunately if I had only realised it was only a simple fact of posting the form to the JB scheme I would have done that, but as it said on the application form the welfare office were to deal with it so I left it at that. It's good to know that I am not the only one running into this stupidity and that it's just not a mis-understanding on my part, if I don't get anywhere with a resolution I will be contacting my local FG/labour T.D, as getting people off the unemployment register seems to be one of their propaganda slogans !. This process should be straight forward and not complicated by petty inter-departmental procedures, seems like jumped up paper pushers are getting all upset by having to do their job, I'm sure if they were promised a little wage increase along with their croke-park pay cheque they would know who and where the forms were to be sent to !!.
If anyone else is getting such grief please let me know as this is a simple issue to resolve once all parties know the correct procedure.
Thanks

mick_mac

Hi,
Just to follow up on my post, I emailed the job bridge scheme and they were very helpful (as reply below), I emailed a scanned copy of my completed application form to address below and my acceptance on the scheme was processed the next day. So forget about using your local social welfare office to do the job they are paid to do, just forward it on yourself- (eventhough the application form tells you to give it to your LSWO to process).

"If your eligibility is confirmed, your local Social Welfare office should forward your eligibility form by post, fax or email to:
Jobbridge
National Contact Centre (NCC),
IDA Industrial Estate,
Carrick Road,
Edenderry,
Co. Offaly
Fax: 046 9738017
Email: jobbridgeapp@fas.ie
Phone: 1800 303515 or 046 9738080"

cee_jay

mick_mac when the scheme was first introduced, SW had to fill out the form, and give it back to the applicant. The applicant was then to send it to JobBridge themselves. This changed recently, and now SW are to send it to JobBridge.
If you are not satisfied with the service you received in the SW office, and need them to send the form for you, request to speak with a supervisor in there, or write a complaint.