Casual Allowance

dbagman

Hi,
Iv just recently started back part time employment after a good number of years on the dole.Im an Electrician and thus far am only guaranteed a day or two a week.Hoping it will lead to more Full-Time in the near future though.

My problem is I went down to my Social Welfare Office to try and do things right and tell them what days I will be working with this X's and O's system.On the form my employer put I'll have "Possibly 2 days" work a week.Again trying to do things by the book he put down the rate for an Electrician as my hourly pay.21 odd an hour I think.Today I received a letter from the Social informing me that I will be getting docked a total of €89 for any day I work.So in effect if I work a 2 day week i'll get €10 from the social and about €200 from my employer making a total of €210 a week.When you take into account lunch and diesel to get to and from work it will in effect cost me to go back to work.How can this be right?I understand they work out your deductions on rate of pay but the fact its costing me cant be right???And is there a way I can appeal it?

Sue Ellen

Tha figure is correct. Casual claims are calculated as follows:

Hourly rate X no. of hours worked
€21X 8 = €168
Less daily disregard €20 = €148
Then 60% of this figure is your daily means. This is €88.80 rounded to €89.

So if you are working 2 days you should recieve approx €336 (gross) from your employer and €10 from SW.

Most decisions can be appealed but unless you are not receiving €21 per hour for an 8 hour day there will be no change in the decision.

Financially you are much better off working and will recieve at least the €188 on any weeks where you have no work or €99 should you only have 1 day.

Michael D Not Higgins

I think he means his employer put down 21/hour but he's not getting that. If so, appeal.

dbagman

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

I think he means his employer put down 21/hour but he's not getting that. If so, appeal.

he put down that i will be getting "possibly 2 days a week".and then also the hourly rate which i will be getting.but i dont always do 8 hour days,some days are half days.he just put down the info as if allowing for a normal working day.they then calculated it that im working 2 days a week.

I will NOT be much better off working.I get roughly 100 a day when I do.I work 2 days I get 200 plus 10 from social.210.I sit on my ass and do nothing I get 188.Im 22 euro better off.Take into account lunches and travel on work days and it will probably cost me or at the very best ill be coming out with the same for 2 days work as I would have sat on my arse at home for 2 days.Where is the incentive for people to try get jobs when this is the case.ridiculous

MouseTail

Well who is the boss going to take on when work improves and it turns into a full time job, the guy who stayed sittin on his ass or the guy who got off it and worked for the 2 days?

dbagman

MouseTail wrote: »

Well who is the boss going to take on when work improves and it turns into a full time job, the guy who stayed sittin on his ass or the guy who got off it and worked for the 2 days?

Which is exactly why im taking the work....Im failing to see how your input helps my initial question though?

dbagman

Also what office/number do I contact to make an appeal?My local are fobbing me off.Thought this was their department??

Sue Ellen

Provide them with additional information regarding hours and pay etc and ask for a review rather than appeal as an appeal can take up to 12 months.

dbagman

Sue Ellen wrote: »

Provide them with additional information regarding hours and pay etc and ask for a review rather than appeal as an appeal can take up to 12 months.

ok,thanks,but who do i approach about it though?my local office dont seem to want to know.Just ring head office and let them direct me from there or is there a specific office I should ask for?cheers for your help

mags4k

dbagman wrote: »

ok,thanks,but who do i approach about it though?my local office dont seem to want to know.Just ring head office and let them direct me from there or is there a specific office I should ask for?cheers for your help

I'd ring the head office, You're far more likely to get a faster and straighter answer from them rather than using your local office, I know this due to past experiences, Best of luck with it

Sue Ellen

As it is a review it will be the local office. Gather as much info as you can and send it in for the review. Appeals are processed centrally but mostly go there from the Local Offices.

Make it clear that the employer gave the details based on a full days work. Get the employer to confirm that the hours per day may vary. You could be caught with working for a period of time, from which they can determine an average to make a decision that is more reflective or your actual work pattern.

Kristopherus

Op, I think your best option would be to work your 2 days per week under the current arrangement. After say 6 weeks you will have a decent record of hours per day worked. Go back to Welfare then and ask them to review your means. If they see that you are working an average of, say 6 hours per day, then they'll have to re-assess.

dbagman

Kristopherus wrote: »

Op, I think your best option would be to work your 2 days per week under the current arrangement. After say 6 weeks you will have a decent record of hours per day worked. Go back to Welfare then and ask them to review your means. If they see that you are working an average of, say 6 hours per day, then they'll have to re-assess.

Problem there is I dont tell them hours,just days iv worked.Its the X and O system.So I just mark what days Iv worked as opposed to actual hours.


And thanks for the advice otherwise guys.I'll ring head office on Monday.No fear of getting any help this hour of a Friday id imagine.Cheers again

Sue Ellen

Have the employer complete a new UP16 form and they can work out the payment rate average from that. This form shows number of days worked and the income received per week and they can work it out from this.

drake70

dbagman wrote: »

Also what office/number do I contact to make an appeal?My local are fobbing me off.Thought this was their department??

Hi dbagman,

This site has information on social welfare appeals

http://www.socialwelfareappeals.ie/