Extended work leave - income options

LegacyUser

Hi all, Would rather go unregistered for this one if possible.

Over the past number of months in particular the work situation has become very difficult for me. I work in a small department in my company which is at the best of times demanding - cut staff numbers to the bone and try to extract as much from them as possible - the usual story that seems to prevail in the modern work environment. Absentism of colleagues doesn't seem to help and its the same offenders the whole time.

I'm working around the clock and its begining to take a toll on my health - eating dinner at 10 o' clock at night etc. I kept saying things would get better to myself but it would seem things are only getting worse. It all came to a head during the week and I rang my manager during the week and serverd him my notice (he is currently working from a different geographical location but he is actually working out his notice too at the moment). It is anticipated that there will be a new manager hired prior to him leaving but may be the case that will not happen in which case I will be the most senior person in the dept and have to try to keep the show on the road until a new manager is hired along with some hands off assistance from higher management if things were to get really heavy.

Anyway when I handed in my notice he asked me to reconsider and gave me the option of three months extended leave to commence almost straight away and mentioned that although I would definately be missed the show will go on without me and my job would be kept open for me and even I couls get the possibility of gettibg a job in another dept when I return if I wished (only a possibility)

Just wondering what are my options here if I were to take the 3 month leave in regards income? A few people mentioned I should go on the sick but dont think I could do that after taking the extended leave option? Could I draw on my stamps or the dole - I'm very green when it comes to this side of things as have always worked since I left college. To be honest I'm not sure if I would return - I would possibly even take a crap job elsewhere as long as I wasn't stressed to the hilt the whole time. Its not that I'm afraid of work but working around the clock all the time takes its toll eventually with people coming at you from every which direction also. What I really need to do is take time to myself and take stock of things I suppose.

Sorry for the rant bur if anyone could answer my few questions regarding my income options for the 3 months I take out I would be most appreciative. thanks in advance for all constructive input.

MouseTail

Extended leave is really just unpaid leave. As you cannot claim jobseekers benefit it really is only suitable for those with a savings buffer that will last them, or those entitled to illness benefit.
It sounds like you do need time out. How good are prospects in your industry?

LegacyUser

MouseTail wrote: »

Extended leave is really just unpaid leave. As you cannot claim jobseekers benefit it really is only suitable for those with a savings buffer that will last them, or those entitled to illness benefit.
It sounds like you do need time out. How good are prospects in your industry?

Thanks for reply MouseTail. I definately need time out. To be honest I'm pretty stressed from it all and if all keeps going as it is I think I'll go into meltdown from it sooner rather than later. The prospects in the industry are good in Dublin or Cork but not in my neck of the woods being miles from both in particular Dublin and just not in a position to move to either due to committments here.

So I could not draw on my stamps either for this extended leave?

Mrs OBumble

Stellify_81 wrote: »

So I could not draw on my stamps either for this extended leave?

If you have voluntarily stopped working, then you cannot claim Job Seekers Benefit.

To get welfare (either a benefit based on "stamps", or an allowance based on a means test) you need to be either available for work OR signed off as unfit for work, in which case you would be on sick leave (and you only get welfare if your job doesn't pay sick leave).

If you're as stressed as you say you are, then go and see your doctor as a first step. If they recommend taking several months off work to recover, then you would be entitled to a benefit. (Most likely, though, they will only sign off a few weeks, maybe even one week, at a time.)