Minimum wage job worth it?

Slavenc3

Hi, I have recently moved to Ireland. I'm getting 188euro a week at the moment. I want to work. A minimum wage job is my best shot at finding work. I cannot afford to be earning less than 188, what i want to ask is could i get that amount on a minimum wage job? with tax etc
I know there is information online but i'm hoping someone can explain it maybe in more simple terms. Thank you very much!

tobdom

If you get a minimum wage job AND it's for a full week's work (say 37.5 hours), you should be 'better off'. However, that also depends on what kind of expenses you might incur as a result of being employed, such as commuting etc.

37.5 * €9.25 (new min wage as of 1/1/2017) = €346.88. Tax @ 20% = take home of €277.50.

That's a fairly rudimentary calculation and doesn't take into account any other credits you might be able to avail of, but either way you 'should' be better of working (more than just financially - fair play for wanting to work).

Good luck!

Slavenc3

Thank you 'tobdom'. So it would have to be full time? if it was only say 3 days a week, could i receive jobseekers for the other days? Or would i just end up with less?

eeguy

Depending on tax credits, you probably wont pay any PAYE on min wage.

On my min wage job I was taking home about €330 a week.

joebloggs32

tobdom wrote: »

If you get a minimum wage job AND it's for a full week's work (say 37.5 hours), you should be 'better off'. However, that also depends on what kind of expenses you might incur as a result of being employed, such as commuting etc.

37.5 * €9.25 (new min wage as of 1/1/2017) = €346.88. Tax @ 20% = take home of €277.50.

That's a fairly rudimentary calculation and doesn't take into account any other credits you might be able to avail of, but either way you 'should' be better of working (more than just financially - fair play for wanting to work).

Good luck!

Weekly tax credit for a single PAYE worker cones in around €60 so little or no income tax, or USC to be paid.

brightspark

On minimum wage the op won't be paying 20% tax!

There is a dedicated calculator on the welfare site.

http://bow.welfare.ie

tobdom

Oh, it wouldn't have to be full time. But in terms of doing some work & still receiving jobseekers, I'm afraid I wouldn't know enough about that to comment on what your 'return' would be like. It's likely though that you'd be at a point much closer to saying that it isn't "worth your while" working (from a financial point of view) - but I personally would never advocate that way of looking at it.

Edit: Clearly as per other responses I'm way off the mark with my previous comment! :-)

celligraphy

tobdom wrote:

37.5 * €9.25 (new min wage as of 1/1/2017) = €346.88. Tax @ 20% = take home of €277.50.

Completely wrong op will be taking home 320 minimum due to tax credits , it's worth it op for a minimum wage job

Slavenc3

How many hours do you work eeguy? Thank you everyone for your responses

CianRyan

Anywhere from 35-40 hours a week would be considered full time, you can work a certain amount and still claim an amount in benefits but that's something you'll need to speak to a social welfare officer about.

Hollister11

You won't pay much tax at all. So you will keep the majority of your wage.

fh041205

A while ago I worked part-time (3 days a week) and claimed social welfare for other days.

You get your employer to fill in forms detailing your hours and hourly pay then you drop 'casual part-time dockets' in to the welfare office every week (signed by your employer) saying what days you worked (hours are irrelevant at this stage).

If you work more than 3 days a week, regardless of hours, you are not entitled to any payments using this scheme. There was one week I worked 5 hours over 4 days and got nothing from welfare!

At least this was the case when I was doing it about 2 years ago.

TimeToShine

if you're getting rent allowance + 188 euro a week it might be a bit tighter. Even so, you should take home at least 330 euros a week plus you'll be out and about which is a lot better for your head.

Sleeper12

Slavenc3 wrote:

Thank you 'tobdom'. So it would have to be full time? if it was only say 3 days a week, could i receive jobseekers for the other days? Or would i just end up with less?

You used to be able to work 20 hours per week (I think) and still get 3 days jobseekers. I don't know if this has changed

Eoinbmw

Just remember you are a lot more attractive to other employers if you are already in employment!
It coule be just a step to better things!

Slavenc3

Thank you everyone for all the information . Off topic i know but does anyone know anything about the new JobBridge? Or is there going to be one? or a scheme like it?

ronaldol

Don't think you get 9.25euro an hour if its your first job do you? I have been offered 20hrs work a week. I too am getting 188euro a week. I haven't spoken to SW about it yet. Does anyone here know if I can claim for the other two days if I take the job?
I do want it but like OP I can't afford to take a cut.

fh041205

When I did it, you could work three days and still be entitled to make a claim. You won't get 188 though. They use your hourly rate to calculate a deduction per day that you work.

I used to work 2 days p/week and got dole minus about 44 euro (€22 times 2 days).

Just FYI it wasn't just my earnings per day that amounted the €22. Not sure how they calculate it tbh.

road_high

Slavenc3 wrote: »

Hi, I have recently moved to Ireland. I'm getting 188euro a week at the moment. I want to work. A minimum wage job is my best shot at finding work. I cannot afford to be earning less than 188, what i want to ask is could i get that amount on a minimum wage job? with tax etc
I know there is information online but i'm hoping someone can explain it maybe in more simple terms. Thank you very much!

I'm sure I'll be thrown off the thread and warned etc here but does anyone else see the sheer lunacy of someone "recently moved to Ireland" and is able to claim €188 per week on benefits?
I fully appreciate the op wants to work but in the meantime is being propped up by our very generous welfare system. Wonder would I get €188 per week if I move to say Poland?
I'm sure no doubt I'll be branded as racist etc but I dont care- a functioning welfare system should reflect what you pay in. I thought you even had to be here a length of time and worked before you claimed?
I'm assuming the op has never worked or contributed here before now.

eeguy

road_high wrote: »

I'm sure I'll be thrown off the thread and warned etc here but does anyone else see the sheer lunacy of someone "recently moved to Ireland" and is able to claim €188 per week on benefits?
I fully appreciate the op wants to work but in the meantime is being propped up by our very generous welfare system. Wonder would I get €188 per week if I move to say Poland?
I'm sure no doubt I'll be branded as racist etc but I dont care- a functioning welfare system should reflect what you pay in. I thought you even had to be here a length of time and worked before you claimed?
I'm assuming the op has never worked or contributed here before now.

Nah. Assuming s/he gets a job, whatever they received will eventually be paid back with plenty of interest.

The biggest SW issue is the ability to live off it for life.

road_high

eeguy wrote: »

Nah. Assuming s/he gets a job, whatever they received will eventually be paid back with plenty of interest.

The biggest SW issue is the ability to live off it for life.

That's assuming...in the meantime he/she are dipping into the pockets of the taxpayer.
That's is also a huge issue indeed. It should be based on contributions and then cut off or food stamps after a certain period. The concept of someone having never worked in a country or paid taxes in it and being able to claim €188 per eeek (plus god knows what else) is completely incomprehensible to me. It should be work or nothing first. Starting to see how Brexit gained traction if this is a common occurrence.

fh041205

road_high wrote: »

That's assuming...in the meantime he/she are dipping into the pockets of the taxpayer.
That's is also a huge issue indeed. It should be based on contributions and then cut off or food stamps after a certain period. The concept of someone having never worked in a country or paid taxes in it and being able to claim €188 per eeek (plus god knows what else) is completely incomprehensible to me. It should be work or nothing first. Starting to see how Brexit gained traction if this is a common occurrence.

I worked part-time for three years and had difficulty registering for unemployment when I needed it because "I hadn't accumulated enough credits". Don't know what that means but it did scare me a bit.

Is it possible to claim benefits having just arrived in Ireland from another EU country? if it is, it shouldn't be, so I agree with you there.

road_high

fh041205 wrote: »

I worked part-time for three years and had difficulty registering for unemployment when I needed it because "I hadn't accumulated enough credits". Don't know what that means but it did scare me a bit.

Is it possible to claim benefits having just arrived in Ireland from another EU country? if it is, it shouldn't be, so I agree with you there.

I didn't think it was, but this thread would appear to say you can. I thought you had to work min 6 months first.
Credits is probably your PRSI contributions before then.

Water John

Don't confuse PRSI payments to you when you lose a job with Unemployment Benefit.

fh041205

Water John wrote: »

Don't confuse PRSI payments to you when you lose a job with Unemployment Benefit.

Yes! It was PRSI contributions, which makes perfect sense. What is it you're referring to?

infogiver

road_high wrote: »

I'm sure I'll be thrown off the thread and warned etc here but does anyone else see the sheer lunacy of someone "recently moved to Ireland" and is able to claim €188 per week on benefits?
I fully appreciate the op wants to work but in the meantime is being propped up by our very generous welfare system. Wonder would I get €188 per week if I move to say Poland?
I'm sure no doubt I'll be branded as racist etc but I dont care- a functioning welfare system should reflect what you pay in. I thought you even had to be here a length of time and worked before you claimed?
I'm assuming the op has never worked or contributed here before now.

Absolutely you can get JSB in Poland if you like, here's how.
If you've been on JSB here for at least one month and you decide to go to look for a job in Poland then you complete some forms here and ask your local SW office to transfer your entitlement to Poland where you will get it there for a maximum of 78 days as long as you register as unemployed there and comply with their conditions for receiving JSB
That's an EU law.
Coming to Ireland and getting JSA is much more tricky but obviously this gentleman has fulfilled the HRC, a process which is very onerous to say the less and applies to all applicants for means tested assistance payments irregardless of nationality

zoe 3619

road_high wrote: »

I'm sure I'll be thrown off the thread and warned etc here but does anyone else see the sheer lunacy of someone "recently moved to Ireland" and is able to claim €188 per week on benefits?
I fully appreciate the op wants to work but in the meantime is being propped up by our very generous welfare system. Wonder would I get €188 per week if I move to say Poland?
I'm sure no doubt I'll be branded as racist etc but I dont care- a functioning welfare system should reflect what you pay in. I thought you even had to be here a length of time and worked before you claimed?
I'm assuming the op has never worked or contributed here before now.

Isn't this part of being in the EU though?Might be very wrong here,but you probably could could claim welfare in other European countries.

road_high

zoe 3619 wrote: »

Isn't this part of being in the EU though?Might be very wrong here,but you probably could could claim welfare in other European countries.

There's a huge difference between working first and then claiming after say a job loss vs the OPs case which appears to be arriving in the country and claiming first. Which is a preposterous situation no matter how it's spun.
If we are being forced to pay welfare to these new arrivals, it should only be reflective of their own countries contributions and rates.
This is precisely the kind of stuff that turns the mob against unchecked EU immigration. Either work immediately or no benefits. And it should apply equally across all member states.

eeguy

road_high wrote: »

There's a huge difference between working first and then claiming after say a job loss vs the OPs case which appears to be arriving in the country and claiming first. Which is a preposterous situation no matter how it's spun.
If we are being forced to pay welfare to these new arrivals, it should only be reflective of their own countries contributions and rates.
This is precisely the kind of stuff that turns the mob against unchecked EU immigration. Either work immediately or no benefits. And it should apply equally across all member states.

Any evidence for that?

infogiver

road_high wrote: »

There's a huge difference between working first and then claiming after say a job loss vs the OPs case which appears to be arriving in the country and claiming first. Which is a preposterous situation no matter how it's spun.
If we are being forced to pay welfare to these new arrivals, it should only be reflective of their own countries contributions and rates.
This is precisely the kind of stuff that turns the mob against unchecked EU immigration. Either work immediately or no benefits. And it should apply equally across all member states.

I explained 2 posts back how every EU citizen might be eligible for JSB in any other EU country on arrival
You can use all the adjectives you like to deride it but it doesn't change the fact that it's EU law and that's that.

infogiver

It's all here from DSP website

http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Moving-to-another-EU-Country_holder.aspx#lda2de

road_high

eeguy wrote: »

Any evidence for that?

Brexit?

road_high

infogiver wrote: »

I explained 2 posts back how every EU citizen might be eligible for JSB in any other EU country on arrival
You can use all the adjectives you like to deride it but it doesn't change the fact that it's EU law and that's that.

Just because it's an EU law doesn't make it right or doesn't mean us silly little taxpayers can't question the obvious lunacy of said Law. Especially for a country like Ireland with notoriously generous welfare benefits.

infogiver

road_high wrote: »

Just because it's an EU law doesn't make it right or doesn't mean us silly little taxpayers can't question the obvious lunacy of said Law. Especially for a country like Ireland with notoriously generous welfare benefits.

you can question it all you like but were members of the EU and cant pick and choose which rules do or don't suit us.
Plenty and plenty of Irish people in the UK in particular claiming benefits and availing of the NHS and housing etc so its as broad as its long