3 day week Job Seekers benefit

Barrell

I'm currently on a 3 days week for the last year or so and have been claiming 2 days Job Seekers benefit. Do you have to work a full 5 day week to put up a stamp or can you put one up working a 3day wk, basically can i keep claiming JB if I'm putting up a stamp on the 3day week?

Sue Ellen

Once you earn over €38 you get a stamp. You can still only claim JB for a set amount of time 234/312 days. Once the claim expires you can reapply but your normal level of employment will come into play. If you stay working a 3 day week you would not be able to continue JB after your claims expires as you would not be considered to have suffered a loss. You can then apply for JA and that will continue as long as you continue to satisfy the claim.

Barrell

Can you requalify for JB working a 4 or 5 day week? Basically i'm looking at how i can requalify?

Sue Ellen

You re-qualify based on having 13 paid contributions after you are 156 days on claim. You must also have sufficient contributions in the relevant year. As you are working 3 days all the time I doubt you will have an issue with either of the above criteria. Where you could get caught is the Substantial Loss issue. You must have a loss of at least 1 days employment to qualify for JB. 4 or 5 days is considered full time employment. If you continue on 3 days until the claim expires you would only get payment on a week where you are being paid for only 2 days or less. IN this case you might be better off on JA.

Barrell

What does 13 paid contributions mean, I have to work full time for 13 weeks? As my JB runs out in 7 weeks time i cud work a 4 day week for 13 weeks and then go back to a 3 day week i requalify?

Sue Ellen

1 contribution=1 weeks stamp/PRSI con. If you worked that way you could re qualify. The deciding officer could look to go further back if they see a sudden change in pattern. If you worked 4 days a week for the next 7 weeks your claim wouldn't expire.

Barrell

So you have to work 4 days a week or more to put up 1 contribution=1 weeks stamp/PRSI con, you can't put one up on 3 days a week? Thank you so much for your help Sue Ellen

danjo-xx

Barrell wrote: »

So you have to work 4 days a week or more to put up 1 contribution=1 weeks stamp/PRSI con, you can't put one up on 3 days a week? Thank you so much for your help Sue Ellen

For each week in the year, we all get 1 stamp or 1 contribution as its now usually called.

To earn 1 stamp/contribution you have to earn at least €38 in any one week.

Sue Ellen

Sorry I may not have been clear. Once you earn over €38 you will get a stamp for that week. The number of days you work is not relevant. What I was saying is that you can't claim JB/JA while on a 4 day week as 4 days is considered full time employment.

Barrell

So I could requalify if I went on a 4 day week for 13 weeks thus not claiming JB, I could then go back to a 3 day week claiming JB for another 234days? Is ths correct? Thanks again

danjo-xx

Barrell wrote: »

So I could requalify if I went on a 4 day week for 13 weeks thus not claiming JB, I could then go back to a 3 day week claiming JB for another 234days? Is ths correct? Thanks again

You can't work 4 days a week, that is regarded as full time employment, 3 is the max you can do.

Have a look at this.

Re-qualifying for Jobseeker's Benefit

You can re-qualify for JB if:

• You have used up your full JB entitlement (either 9 or 6 months) and
• You have paid 13 PRSI contributions for at least 13 weeks (these contributions can be counted only after you have claimed at least 156 days (6 months) of JB)

However if you are working and claiming JB (systematic short-time workers and part-time workers) you cannot simply continue your JB claim when it is exhausted since you must have suffered a substantial loss of employment to re-qualify for JB, (unless you are a casual worker).



If you have lost your job you will have suffered a substantial loss of employment. If you are a part-time or systematic short-time worker DSP will look at your pattern of employment over the last 13 weeks or another representative period to find out whether you have suffered a substantial loss of employment.


For example, if you are getting JB and working 3 days each week as a systematic short-time worker or a part-time worker and your employment pattern has not changed during the course of your JB claim, you will not have suffered a substantial loss of employment and will not re-qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit when you exhaust your claim.



However, if your JB claim ends and your 3 day week working week is then reduced to a 2 day week, you will have suffered a substantial loss of employment and may re-qualify for Jobseeker’s Benefit.