Leaving job, working for free, social welfare

Sala

If you voluntarily leave your job is there a period of time after which you could get social welfare (if you are not in paid employment again?) I am thinking of taking some time out to work for free to pursue the career I want to. My job will not permit a career break or unpaid leave, so it's all or nothing. My intention isn't to quit to go on the dole or the internship scheme, but say I give myself 3-6 months to do what I want and live of my savings, it doesn't lead anywhere and I look again for paid employment and find I can't pick up something, could I get social welfare, or would the period of unpaid work still count as employed for this purpose - i.e do you need to hang around doing nothing for a number of months to qualify? (I would qualify for JSB rather than JSA if that makes a difference)

tk123

I don't think you'd have to wait again BUT in my experience (from being made redundant 2 months ago) you're expected to present yourself on the first day of unemployment. It was a BH weekend so I went in on the tues and was told to come back the following fri - when I went back they queried why I hadn't presented myself on the monday until they realised it was a BH.. and a friend who was made redundant had hassle for waiting a few weeks before going in. It makes sense if you think about it you could be earning a fortune and not declaring it for all they know or if there's a gap in your 'stamps' it could cause you problems further down the line.
Would this be an option for you I wonder?

Sala

Thank you for the reply. It's not my own business I want to start, rather intern in a law firm and I wouldn't be redundant, I would beleaving of my own accord. I wouldn't be eligable to sign on straight away anyway. Plus, I don't intend to sign on, unless after my period out supporting myself, if I find I am struggling to get back to paid work, could I do it then?

Corruptedmorals

This is a bit like what I am doing. When my contract ended I was fairly confident of getting something else soon as I had a number of interviews. I wasn't aware that you are supposed to present yourself at social welfare the next day. I had savings anyway and would have felt guilty claiming without needing to and was very confident I would only get JSA and get nothing at all from it due to parents incomes. I applied 3 and a half months after the contract ended, and they were fine with it. I just had to state that I lived off savings, and I do qualify for JB. Two weeks later (last week) I was sent a form to fill out detailing jobs applied for, with evidence 'in order to facilitate my request for backdating'- which I didn't actually request! The form may be an issue for you if you are not actively looking for work.

Sala

Thanks. My contract is not ending, if it was it would be more straight forward!
It says online:
You may be disqualified from getting Jobseeker's Benefit for 9 weeks if you: Left work voluntarily and without a reasonable cause

I presume you would have to sign on before they decide or not if you are disqualified? What if I worked off savings for 6 months then tried to sign on - would I be disqualified for a further 9 weeks? I would call and ask but I doubt they would be forthcoming with information! "Hello, just curious if I decide to quit my fairly lucrative stable job can I sign on the dole straight away!?"

Given that it would be my own choice I fully support the fact that I should be disqualified for a period of time - that said, I couldn't do this unless I have the safety net of being able to sign on in the future.

Also, I would have to wait 9 weeks + 3 months for jobbridge which I won't do - if I sign on eventually would I have to remain idle until I got paid employment or could I continue on in my own internship (if I have one?)

tatli_lokma

in order to qualify for jobseekers you have to be actively looking for and prepared to accept paid employment. As you are completing an internship (or any form of unpaid or voluntary work) you would not be entitled to jobseekers.

the clue is in the name...JOB-SEEKERS!

Mrs OBumble

Lads, the answers the OP is getting aren't quite on track here, so I'm going to move this to State Benefits.

OP, you don't have to present yourself on the first day of unemployment - but you are only allowed to claim from when you do present yourself.

In general, if you voluntarily leave a job, there is a stand-down of 9 weeks. I don't know if that's from the day you leave, or the day you claim.

Legally, there are also some twitches around only being eligible for JSB if you have actually lost full-time employment, which will not be what has happened if you take a three month break to do "whatever" and then start job-hunting. I don't know if these twitches are routinely applied, though.

Lastly, you may want to think about the timing: your entitlement to JSB is based on the relevant tax year. I cannot remember anymore if that is the year before, or the year before that (ie if it's 2011 or 2010 right now).

Related to that, be aware of is that if you take 3 months out now (ie in 2012) this will affect your eligibility for credit's based benefits a year or two down the track. I don't think that this is a reason not to do it (since you have no idea if you'll be unemployed - or pregnant, etc - then ), but it's something to factor into the risks.


Now ... over to the folks in SB to get the advice right!

mp22

If you leave you job without just cause(as decided by the dept)you will lose up to 9 weeks payment from the date you sign on.You must comply with the rules for JSB during these weeks.You will not qualify for JSB if you are working for free some where else (available for, and genuinely seeking work).

Jsb claims for this year are based on your stamp history for 2010 next year will be 2011 and so on.

LegacyUser

Sorry to correct you Mp22

but the 9 week disallowance is from the date the person left the job, not the date they make the claim.

ie: If they sign on 9 weeks after quitting..... no disallowance can be imposed.

Guidelines:
http://www.welfare.ie/EN/OperationalGuidelines/Pages/jb_jobseekben.aspx


(b) Voluntarily left employment

A person may be disqualified for receiving JB for up to 9 weeks from date of leaving employment if s/he has left the employment voluntarily and without just cause.

mp22

Thank you.I stand corrected.

Sala

Thank you all for the replies.

@Little Ted, I was not intending to claim anything while interning. Rather, I am considering doing it myself for 3-6 months and if it doesn't help me get a foot in the door to the area I want to be in, look for another paid job. If it was the case that I struggled to get another paid job I wanted to know:
1) At that point could I sign on to Job Seekers - from the ansers it appears I can
2) At that point would I be entitled to do a jobbridge scheme if I couldn't get a job - or would I have to sign on and hang around doing nothing but looking for work for another three months

One more question, if I take time off this year or next I think I am still entitled to JSB based on the 13/26 weeks thing, as I have 5 years of PRSI payments. If I am wrong, and is it is only JSA I presume I would be assessed on the basis of a cohabitant and get nothing?