TUS Programme

Phat Cat

But aren't CE & Tús basically the very same scheme, just with different titles?

But that's the thing, she either has to say Yes or No. If she chooses option 2 and says No, then goes on to explain about her eCollege course but they don't think it's a valid excuse then her payment gets stopped.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Phat Cat

So if she says No, they will evaluate her reasons then more then likely just force her into a placement or stop her JSA anyway?

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Phat Cat

Phat Cat wrote: »

I'm not sure what you mean by that. The form only gives two options 1) Accept interview for a position 2) Refuse position but explain in detail why you are refusing it.

The issue with option 2 is that if your reason isn't deemed good enough then her JSA will be cut off.

I mean accept interview, but bring proof that she is doing something about improving her chances of gainful employment and ask the interviewer to at least defer any placement with TUS until eCourse is finished. They're not all ogres and should take her efforts into consideration and assist her efforts.

Phat Cat

I think that the best thing that she can do is reply No to the letter and state the reason why. When they most likely reject it and send her to an interview anyway, then she can try to explain her situation to the interviewer and hope for the best.

Also is it true that you are subject to PAYE on this scheme? I read somewhere that around €10 can be deduced from the €208 that you receive.

Phat Cat

Phat Cat wrote: »

I think that the best thing that she can do is reply No to the letter and state the reason why. When they most likely reject it and send her to an interview anyway, then she can try to explain her situation to the interviewer and hope for the best.

Also is it true that you are subject to PAYE on this scheme? I read somewhere that around €10 can be deduced from the €208 that you receive.

That would only apply if someone was claiming for dependents and it takes them over the PAYE threshold.

dodzy

Phat Cat wrote: »

I think that the best thing that she can do is reply No to the letter and state the reason why. When they most likely reject it and send her to an interview anyway, then she can try to explain her situation to the interviewer and hope for the best.

Also is it true that you are subject to PAYE on this scheme? I read somewhere that around €10 can be deduced from the €208 that you receive.

Generally speaking:

Single person. No tax.
Married person, spouse not working. No tax
Married person, spouse working, tax credits split, no tax.
Married person, spouse working and claiming all credits, leaving you with nil, then possible tax implications.

dodzy

Phat Cat wrote: »

My wife received a letter from Tús on Monday with forms to be submitted by the end of the month or her JSA will be cut off

im sure the letter did not say that her "JSA will be cut off".

Phat Cat

dodzy wrote: »

im sure the letter did not say that her "JSA will be cut off".

Well no, not in those exact words. It did clearly state that if she did not want to participate on the scheme or if she didn't return the forms by a certain date, then her benefits would be affected.

Refusal of work placement Under the National Employment Action Plan someone getting Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) is required to take up work opportunities such as the offer of a Tús work placement. If they refuse a work opportunity without good reason, they may have their social welfare payment reduced or terminated. If, following a refusal of a placement, someone’s payment is reduced or terminated they may appeal this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.

dodzy

Phat Cat wrote: »

Well no, not in those exact words. It did clearly state that if she did not want to participate on the scheme or if she didn't return the forms by a certain date, then her benefits would be affected.

and not in those exact words either I'm guessing

Phat Cat

dodzy wrote: »

and not in those exact words either I'm guessing

Okay I read it again and it was could and not would, but that's beside the point, the fact of the matter is that it looks like she will be forced to participate on this scheme.

She went to the citizens advice office and they told her that it's pretty much unavoidable, apparently even if she says no, they will either send her for an interview anyway and/or threaten to deduct or terminate her payment.

satguy

I'm 4 months into my TUS placement, when I was called up for my Interview I asked for something working with computers, I gave the interviewers some website addresses of sites I had built / designed.

Then about a year later I get a call asking if I would like to take a placement at The Irish Wheelchair Association teaching basic PC skills to some of their users.

I have to say, it's been great, and 4 months have gone by in a blink, I have a computer room with 8 PC stations, all good machines with good internet access. I have no end of guys and gals looking to learn stuff, from simple Gmail stuff to paying bills online or doing stuff on Facebook. Just today I spent two hours showing a 60 year old man how to put songs from the internet on to his phone. The first song he asked for was AC/DC and then he moved on to Thin Lizzy, we had great fun, even the gang that built up behind us said they had a great time.

I do 19 hours over 3 days, I pick my days, I have a 4 minute commute to work and and never have to work on a Friday as the centre is closed.

kmmh58

Hi does anyone have an idea of how this scheme and maternity leave/pay works.

If I was claiming JA I could continue getting my payments as normal (u don't have to sign on for up to 8 weeks after birth) but how does it work for this Tus scheme?

denlaw

I'm starting a TUS in my local soccer club which i've been involved with since i was a boy, (i'm 48 now), just one question, since i was laid off back in 2011 after 27yrs, i started doing online FAS courses, ive passed the ECDL, Comptia A+ Network+ and i'm halfway through the CCNA, after i get the CCNA i want to do the security+, will i still be allowed to avail of the free online courses ?...

dodzy

denlaw wrote: »

I'm starting a TUS in my local soccer club which i've been involved with since i was a boy, (i'm 48 now), just one question, since i was laid off back in 2011 after 27yrs, i started doing online FAS courses, ive passed the ECDL, Comptia A+ Network+ and i'm halfway through the CCNA, after i get the CCNA i want to do the security+, will i still be allowed to avail of the free online courses ?...

you will, 100%.

denlaw

Got my first weeks "wages" today, down over €40 on my welfare payment, tell me i must be paying some sort of emergency tax, i rang the tax office last week as well to tell them i was going on this...

satguy

I was also down a good bit of money (€45) for a few weeks. (5 Weeks)
But you get it back after a while, just contact the tax office.

I had to do that, they gave me €25 euro back, but kept my €20 top up for PRSI payment, well €14.65 of it anyway.
So my top up was really only €5.35, which was ok, until the council said that as I was now working, they were adding €35 to my rent.
I did lodge an appeal that took weeks, but lost my appeal.

But I still stand over everything I said in post #1214 on page 81.

denlaw

satguy wrote: »

I was also down a good bit of money (€45) for a few weeks. (5 Weeks)
But you get it back after a while, just contact the tax office.

I had to do that, they gave me €25 euro back, but kept my €20 top up for PRSI payment, well €14.65 of it anyway.
So my top up was really only €5.35, which was ok, until the council said that as I was now working, they were adding €35 to my rent.
I did lodge an appeal that took weeks, but lost my appeal.

But I still stand over everything I said in post #1214 on page 81.

down 40 quid even over 5 weeks is a big hit for me and the family, they told me i wouldn't be down in money, i even rang the tax office the minute i got the number off them

satguy

While the TUS programme is a good thing in general, there are a few people that spend their days working in a cubicle that gets smaller every year, it is those people that are using the TUS programme to kick people while they are down.
How easy would it have been to pre inform Tax or Council that Joe Bloggs / Somebody , is about to start a TUS placement. But instead they bend you over and take advantage of you while you are vulnerable .

denlaw

satguy wrote: »

While the TUS programme is a good thing in general, there are a few people that spend their days working in a cubicle that gets smaller every year, it is those people that are using the TUS programme to kick people while they are down.
How easy would it have been to pre inform Tax or Council that Joe Bloggs / Somebody , is about to start a TUS placement. But instead they bend you over and take advantage of you while you are vulnerable .

TBH I don't mind going in, I'm my own boss, they even count the 2 hrs I do training the kids On a Saturday morning as part of the 19hrs, I've a family to care for and things are tight since I was made redundant 3 yrs ago, I went looking for this for something to do in the mornings, they didn't tell me to do it, even the money where they take a prsi payment of you cause you've gone over €352, what a bunch of family hating collection of twats running this country...

JanBee

Holiday question - are Christmas day and Stephen's day treated like bank holidays? They fall on a Thursday and Friday which are the two days I don't work. So am I entitled to two other days off for example the next Monday and Tuesday? Thanks!

dodzy

JanBee wrote: »

Holiday question - are Christmas day and Stephen's day treated like bank holidays? They fall on a Thursday and Friday which are the two days I don't work. So am I entitled to two other days off for example the next Monday and Tuesday? Thanks!

Of course you are

dodzy

satguy wrote: »

While the TUS programme is a good thing in general, there are a few people that spend their days working in a cubicle that gets smaller every year, it is those people that are using the TUS programme to kick people while they are down.
How easy would it have been to pre inform Tax or Council that Joe Bloggs / Somebody , is about to start a TUS placement. But instead they bend you over and take advantage of you while you are vulnerable .

We always register new folks with Revenue in advance of their start date and in most circumstances, the Cert will issue before first payroll so no issues there.

The PRSI is a constant PITA that we have to deal with. The "20€ top-up" is eroded pretty quickly once a participant received in excess of €352 per week. In simple terms. a 2 adult & 1 child family will only receive a top-up of €5.60 as the €20 topup pushes them from €342.80 ( €188 + €124.80 + €29.80 ) over the threshold ( they go to €362 ) and are therefor exposed to 4% PRSI on the gross.

We've been trying to get this changed for 3 yrs. Still no joy unfortunately.

JanBee

dodzy wrote: »

Of course you are

Thanks for the reply. My organisation are closing for two weeks over Christmas but the staff employed there are using their annual leave days to do this. I was wondering if I could avoid using any of my holiday days based on the fact that the office won't be open, or would I need to do the same as them and use annual leave. I'm the only Tus worker there so not sure how it works. ..

dodzy

JanBee wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. My organisation are closing for two weeks over Christmas but the staff employed there are using their annual leave days to do this. I was wondering if I could avoid using any of my holiday days based on the fact that the office won't be open, or would I need to do the same as them and use annual leave. I'm the only Tus worker there so not sure how it works. ..

What are the closing date, from and to?

JanBee

Closed Monday 22nd Dec back open Monday 5th Jan. My working days are Monday and Tuesday and half day Wednesday. Thanks ☺

dodzy

JanBee wrote: »

Closed Monday 22nd Dec back open Monday 5th Jan. My working days are Monday and Tuesday and half day Wednesday. Thanks ☺

You will have to take the hols during this period (unless your Tus Teamleader can relocate you ). This being the case, and bearing in mind that you get approx 81hrs hols per year, you will have to use approx 39hrs worst case scenario*

*Check with you Teamleader

denlaw

JanBee wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. My organisation are closing for two weeks over Christmas but the staff employed there are using their annual leave days to do this. I was wondering if I could avoid using any of my holiday days based on the fact that the office won't be open, or would I need to do the same as them and use annual leave. I'm the only Tus worker there so not sure how it works. ..

just from personal exp, your annual leave includes your xmas holidays etc, where i worked last we got 5 weeks annual leave with 2 weeks in august as the annual shut down, you didn't have to take them then as there was massive maintenance done and they were always short of lads..

in other words, i'd imagine you'd have to take your holidays the same as where your placed...i might be wrong though...

denlaw

dodzy wrote: »

You will have to take the hols during this period (unless your Tus Teamleader can relocate you ). This being the case, and bearing in mind that you get approx 81hrs hols per year, you will have to use approx 39hrs worst case scenario*

*Check with you Teamleader

aye, looks like that