Unpaid Internships and Social Welfare

K.C

Hey everyone,

If you are doing an unpaid internship can you still get social welfare???

Slydice

Can you not go on the intership scheme? pretty sure you get an extra 50 quid on the dole if you do it that way.

Have a read:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/unemployment_and_redundancy/employment_support_schemes/national_internship_scheme.html

Maybe chat to the employer?

K.C

Slydice wrote: »

Can you not go on the intership scheme? pretty sure you get an extra 50 quid on the dole if you do it that way.

Have a read:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/unemployment_and_redundancy/employment_support_schemes/national_internship_scheme.html

Maybe chat to the employer?

All jobsbridge positions are filled unfortunately in this company so it'll be working unpaid. Thanks for the link

Lugh Ildanach

If its outside of one of the schemes, then you would have to run it by your local social welfare office before starting it, or you could end up losing your payment.

They will only give you permission if the position does not interfere with your efforts to find work and your availability for full-time work. This is unlikely if the position is full-time. You can of course make a case to them that it will improve your job prospects, but unless you can demonstrate that you are still able to look for full-time paid work, and that if/when you find it that you can easily give up or work around your internship, then you'll likely be turned down.

K.C

Lugh Ildanach wrote: »

If its outside of one of the schemes, then you would have to run it by your local social welfare office before starting it, or you could end up losing your payment.

They will only give you permission if the position does not interfere with your efforts to find work and your availability for full-time work. This is unlikely if the position is full-time. You can of course make a case to them that it will improve your job prospects, but unless you can demonstrate that you are still able to look for full-time paid work, and that if/when you find it that you can easily give up or work around your internship, then you'll likely be turned down.

I was afraid that would be the case. I'll check it with the social tomorrow. If it is true this is complete madness. I'll post back tomorrow with what happens.

Lugh Ildanach

K.C wrote: »

I was afraid that would be the case. I'll check it with the social tomorrow. If it is true this is complete madness. I'll post back tomorrow with what happens.

Its a tricky enough application, I would prepare yourself as best you can.

If you can get a letter from the prospective employer saying that the internship is fully flexible, that they will faciliate your jobseeking efforts and any part-time or full-time employment that you get as best they can, and perhaps even to indicate that there might be some paid employment at the end of the internship, then you'd have a better chance than just going down to them and asking their view (which is likely to be negative).

cee_jay

To be honest, I would be wary about working unpaid for a company if you aren't coming in under the Internship programme. There are rules set down for employers regarding the amount of staff they wish to employ under the internship, this is to try to prevent the displacement of full time employees. The biggest thing I would be worried about is if the employer's insurance will cover if if any accident occurs while you are "working" there but not getting paid or on payroll etc.
If the employer can't employ you on the internship scheme, they can also have people in their organisation under the Work Placement Programme. The rules for the employers are here: http://www.jobbridge.ie/EmployerEligible.aspx
I would think it would be very unlikely that you would be allowed to partake in this internship if it is not official through the Jobbridge scheme. If you do want to do it, you will probably be required to sign off for those days you are in work, even if you are not receiving pay for these days.