Hiring Lad who is currently on the dole.

Pottler

Hi all, need some advice please:) A chap who worked for me for a short period a long while back rang me todayto see if I had any work for him. I do. He's a good man and I liked what he could do when he was with us before. Thing is, he is on the dole and in receipt of a medical card(he has a child who is long term ill) which he can't do without. Now, I'm not having someone who is still on the dole working for me and I'm not even darkening the door of going the "cash under the table" route - I just do not want that sort of grief and pay my other staffs PRSI etc in full and like it that way.
So, my question is, how do I hire him legally for a short term contract(probably a few months) and have him keep some/all benefits/ just the medical card?? Or can it not be done? He will be adamant on the medical card due to his circumstances but would probably be delighted to come off benefits - how do I work this one out? Thanks for any constructive replies in advance!

tk123

They might be entitled to the card either way depending on the illness. If not it's means tested so he could maybe find out what he's allowed earn and still keep it and you could pay him up to that amount? A chancer where I used to work had one - fed them a sob story and got it.

u140acro3xs7dm

He could sign off the dole and not tell the hse. I know it is not right but its better than signing on and working. As was mentioned the child could be entitled to it.

BRAIN FEEDs

hire him as casual and put him on the Xs and Os

war_child

Theres no easy way out of this the only way he could keep someof his benefits is if you hire him for less than 20hours a week...he should go to his local social office and inform them that he is on short term contract they will ask start and finish date therefore they wont close his entitlement completly and a week before he finishes up he should go in and inform them to reinstate his payments fromthe following friday..Unfortuantly he will lose his medical card as they cannot offer that even if the person is in part time work ....the only way out that if his partner has the med card aswell .....i know its **** but this is Ireland ...Hope that helps ya mate ...

ABajaninCork

Think this might be of help. Found on Citizens Infomation:

****TEXT****

Retention of medical card and Rent Supplement
Medical card
If you are unemployed and you are returning to full-time or part-time work, you can keep your medical card for 3 years provided you have been getting one of the following allowances or benefits for 12 months or more:

Jobseeker's Benefit
Jobseeker's Allowance
One-Parent Family Payment
Illness Benefit
Disability Allowance
Blind Pension or
Have been on an employment incentive scheme or educational opportunity scheme
If you take up full-time employment you will retain your medical card for 3 years from the date you start work. If you take up part-time employment the three-year period starts from the date your income exceeds the relevant medical card guideline. There are further details about the retention of medical cards in the Health Service Executive's Guide to Medical Cards.

Rent Supplement
From 5 June 2007 if you have been unemployed or not in full-time employment for at least 12 months and are assessed as in need of housing under the Rental Accommodation Scheme you may be entitled to retain your Rent Supplement.

****END OF TEXT****

I've also attached the link:

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/employment/starting_work_and_changing_job/training_and_looking_for_work/return_to_work.html

HTH!

mattjack

Good post above, HSE can be flexible with medical cards from time to time.

Pottler

Great info abajan, thanks and thanks for all the replys. No idea what the "xs and o's are" though:D No, really, I have no idea This guy is a really hard working fella, but in the wrong industry(construction) so not a chancer at all, just laid off when things died down. I will follow up on the info above as I'd love to give him a job and I really need good staff at the mo as it's really busy. Good carpenters etc are still very hard to find. Thanks again to all.

wmpdd3

No idea what the "xs and o's are" though No, really, I have no idea

3 day week etc

BRAIN FEEDs

wmpdd3 wrote: »

3 day week etc

exactly......... he works 3 days,then he sends in this card to the dole says he has worked 3 days.they make up the rest for him, 10s of 1,ooos doing this. good luck

ABajaninCork

BRAIN FEEDs wrote: »

exactly......... he works 3 days,then he sends in this card to the dole says he has worked 3 days.they make up the rest for him, 10s of 1,ooos doing this. good luck

Haven't the rules on this changed recently?? Think dole only pay 5 days and not six if p/t. Think you also have to watch the amount of hours worked. Must go and have a look...

Pottler

Sorted today, he's signing off and going full time. Seems his missus can keep the card or somthing, anyway he's going in to the welfare in the morning to sign off. Thanks for all the advice!:)

bob the bob

Good man

Markcheese

Pottler wrote: »

Sorted today, he's signing off and going full time. Seems his missus can keep the card or somthing, anyway he's going in to the welfare in the morning to sign off. Thanks for all the advice!:)

Brilliant , if he has any probs, or is unsure what his entitlements are tell him or his wife to get on to citizens information .... Cock ups happen

Pottler

some serious amount of paperwork to fill in to keep the dole ofice happy - the fella went in this morning and signed off then came to work, laden down with forms to fill out. Surely it should be easier for someone to go in and say they got a ful time job? Not really giving out as someone else will fill em out, but hmm.

Jarren

He could have done this onlline

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/ContactUs/Pages/CloseClaimByCounty.aspx