FIS Awarded

LegacyUser

I started work 9 weeks ago, 2 weeks of the work was full time training, The training is compulsory to get the employment. My contract and the job I have been doing for the past 7 weeks has been part time, 20 hours.

The FIS form signed by my employer was also 20 hours.
My income is €200 minus SC. & my one parent family is €167. 80 after assessment.
The FIS deciding officer awarded me €45. She said she was basing it on the YTD payment.
Off course I have an extra €400 added to the YTD due to the training week at work. She concluded my earning from work totaled €264.75. I am so gutted, I do not earn up to this whatsoever. The money I get from work, I spend half on childminding, I really put my hope on the FIS to boost my income.

How can I go about appealing this situation? A lady I started work with, same payment from welfare, same hours & we submitted our application at the same time..She did 3 weeks training while I opted for 2 weeks. She was awarded €91 per week. This is really unfair.

meathstevie

In a very similar situation myself, in my belief incorrectly assessed for FIS with approximately €80/week to my disadvantage. I contacted the office initially, explained the situation and was advised to e-mail and send payslips et all by post which I done and was reassured by a helpful sounding chap that the deciding officer would get around to it.

After a couple of weeks nothing changed and I decided to call again only to be spoken to by someone I can only describe as a rude ignorant cow who after a lot of fingerwagging and sighing told me to appeal the decission if I "didn't like it" and that the assesment was for the year as far as they're concerned.

wmpdd3

This is the problem, you would have to cancel your claim of FIS and re apply immediately with your new payslips.


They have changed the way they are working out your wages with FIS, they always had the option of using this way but didnt as it will usually make the payment unfair. Before they used the payslips you submitted and took an average now they can go on last years P60 or work out a new pro-rata wage estimate based on your submitted payslips.

Try the citizens information office, they may have better advice than cancelling the claim.

Or try your local TD and tell them how the current government is encouraging people into the workforce. Local TD's offices usually have direct lines to supervisors in government depts like FIS etc.

LegacyUser

@ Meathstevie...
The operator was very rude to me as well..Told me to appeal if I wasnt happy. I have now sent my work contract & a copy a page the HR signed (clearly states 20hours). I have also sent in the "training letter"..to the deciding office for review.

INOU where very helpful, they helped me draft a letter and advised me accordingly.

wmpdd3, I just started work & I sent in all my payslips, the issue here is that I did full time training for 2 weeks & was paid for that, so the total on my payslip is €400+ over the normal pay I get. She just based the calculation on my GTD which is incorrect & doesn't reflect my true pay.

I will registered the post & sent all my evidences...Sure she made a mistake & should rectify it. I will update you guy on how I get on.

wmpdd3

A girl I worked with ended up the same, she HAD to cover sickness on week 4 of her new job, she sent in all payslips thinking the worst that could happen is they's take an average of the 8 payslips, but instead they took the week with pay for 37 hours as her usual week.

She hasn't tried to get it changed, she's just going to leave after Christmas. She has less now than she did not working, even without taking into consideration childcare.

maryk123

Instead of appealing any decision ask for a review. The appeal process is seriously long and a review can be done without any hassle. Ask again can it be reviewed and see what they say.

meathstevie

wmpdd3 wrote: »

A girl I worked with ended up the same, she HAD to cover sickness on week 4 of her new job, she sent in all payslips thinking the worst that could happen is they's take an average of the 8 payslips, but instead they took the week with pay for 37 hours as her usual week.

She hasn't tried to get it changed, she's just going to leave after Christmas. She has less now than she did not working, even without taking into consideration childcare.

Incredible situation isn't it ? For the sake of calculating some supports correctly it now looks like an able person is considering going umemployed because work does not offer the same rewards.

LegacyUser

Well, its almost 2 weeks now & I have heard anything about the review.

wmpdd3

email them just to keep your file in the front of their mind!

Were you given to option of cancelling the clam and restarting?

LegacyUser

I wasn't given any options, I was just sent letter of approval & amount & I knew it was wrong.
I called them 2 days ago & I was told they received my review but from the looks of things, it wont be processed until after Christmas!. They never sent any acknowledgment letter, but I saved the registered post tracking.
I hope they backdate the refund for me, as it isn't my fault she mis calculated my earrings...Its soo unfair, one person is approved with the correct amount whilst the other isnt. They should have the same method of calculation across the board!.
From the looks of things, the review will take almost same time as the appeals.

wmpdd3

Glad you have proof of postage.

once you have done it this way, best to keep at it as if you close your claim now you will lose your arrears.

Still highly advise going to a td also. Not so you can skip the queue but so a senior person can even see your file asap.

LegacyUser

Thanks, I finally got awarded what I deserved. I am so happy. It waas a bit frustrating as she sent me another letter to send my latest payslip, after i sent about 4 earlier. I guess patience was the key for me & keep giving them everything they want. It was an extensive letter I wrote with much evidence. The amount has now been corrected & I got my correct award.
Thanks everyone that contributed.

wmpdd3

I#, so glad you got sorted especially at this time of the year.