Back to work enterprise allowance and PAYE employment

nix1

Hi guys,

I've trawled the internet, emailed my jobs facilitator, called citizens information and called the social welfare office and can't seem to get a straight answer to this!

I commenced on the BTWEA in July. I have been offered a part time paye job. I would love to take this job to supplement my income for the short term and help pay for advertising etc. for my new business. Obviously it will take a while to build up the business so I think this would be a good route to take in the meantime as its not full time so I can still work on the business too.

Does anyone know of or have first hand experience of being on the back to work enterprise allowance while working as an employee at the same time?

Citizens advice said it used to be totally okay but now its not necessarily prohibited but it is 'frowned upon'.

Social welfare gave me a flat 'no', and my jobs facilitator has to get back to me.

Any help would be appreciated!!
Thanks!

HairMare

Hi there I asked this question in my social welfare office last year and got the flat no. There argument seemed to be around hours worked etc. I was struggling at the time as weekly rate had dropped. You could ring employment supports office in sligo there very good. Alternatively is it an option to invoice employer for payment rather than being payrolled ?

nix1

Hi Hairmare,

Thanks for the reply! I'll give them a ring tomorrow. I was thinking of invoicing and working as a contractor but I will have to see if the employer would be happy to do this! I also must look into this more - I know there is some rules stipulating that as a contracted worker there is a max percentage of your hrs/income allowed for each contract, if you go over this you would be termed an employee.

I understand the argument that we need to work on the business but I had thought part time work would be okay! I had even said in my business plan that the proposed business may not generate enough work to provide a full income alone (it can be seasonal) and that it may be the case that another part time job would be required, even if just in the early days.

It's a bit of a juggle but hopefully I'll get there!

I hope all is going well for you now!

HairMare

Hi there hope you made some progress / got answers. Im going good, (touches wood) totally turned business on its head and started over again in the last 6 months - thinking of asking them if any possibility of getting an extension on payment etc as business has huge potential in current format but only time will tell, have a mortgage so the payment would be vital re same. I am now looking to go back in to the ring to fight for grant money. So fingers crossed.
All the best

odeamarcas

nix1 wrote: »

Hi guys,

I've trawled the internet, emailed my jobs facilitator, called citizens information and called the social welfare office and can't seem to get a straight answer to this!

I commenced on the BTWEA in July. I have been offered a part time paye job. I would love to take this job to supplement my income for the short term and help pay for advertising etc. for my new business. Obviously it will take a while to build up the business so I think this would be a good route to take in the meantime as its not full time so I can still work on the business too.

Does anyone know of or have first hand experience of being on the back to work enterprise allowance while working as an employee at the same time?

Citizens advice said it used to be totally okay but now its not necessarily prohibited but it is 'frowned upon'.

Social welfare gave me a flat 'no', and my jobs facilitator has to get back to me.

Any help would be appreciated!!
Thanks!

Hi, it seems that the answer to your question, i.e. can you work part time as a PAYE worker whilst on BTWEA, varies from area to area, town to town and so on. I have been told that you are not allowed to earn PAYE income whilst on the BTWEA, that was in Kildare, but in Carlow I heard that they allow part time PAYE income to be generated by the recipient. I have found it hard to get a clear understanding also.

Business Consulting

There is no way you can avail of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance or the Short Term Enterprise Allowance Grant while in PAYE employment.

To avail of these you have to be self employed or recently set up a company.
As HairMare said perhaps the company could hire you as a self employed agent and you invoice them directly.