Turas nua during covid.

Jimjamsss

Hi all just a couple questions.
First is for anyone with turas nua,how often are yere appointments?i am self employed and in reciept of partial welfare payment,for this i was forced to join job path.now during covid i have an appointment once a week on the phone with them.is this normal for everyone?also before covid happened i was been made go in for an appointment once a week even though i was busy working and having to leave work to attend.is this normal to be called in once a week? After making them aware that you needed to work.
Second question.as my trading ceased due to the lockdown i applied for covid payment,my normal part social payment had to be suspended in order for me to recieve the help,so now i get a covid payment.does this mean that i am technically off the dole for now,im asking in relation these turas nua appointments.do i still need to deal with these turas nua while normal social payment is suspended to recieve covid.?

Cheers for your time and any answer,jim

Boards.ie: Niamh

Welcome to Boards, Jimjamsss

I've moved your posts from Forum Request to the State Benefits forum where you are more likely to get some relevant replies.

lughildanach

Turas Nua appointments have been postponed due to COVID and engagements are supposed to be by phone.

When appointments do start to be run again, you should not be asked to attend Jobpath meetings when you are scheduled to work. Turas Nua are there to assist you to find full-time work, not to make the work you already have more difficult. If this is causing difficulty you should raise it with them. A letter from your employer confirming working hours/shifts should be enough to have an appointment moved. However, I can understand your concern as reports are often sent to social welfare about non-engagement when they shouldn't be, and this can lead to penalty rates and disqualifications being applied.

Try to raise the issue with them and if they refuse to take your concerns on board, raise this by way of a formal complaint to Turas Nua and to your local social welfare office.

COVID payments are a form of Jobseekers, with conditions relaxed. To be safe you should consider that the obligation to engage with Jobpath continues. I can't see them applying penalties or disqualifications at this stage, but they could follow later if you are considered not to have co-operated.

ArdmanningGal

Hi all, on this note, I am wondering are people still getting calls from their p.a in Turas Nua?

I had one scheduled for June 17th that never went ahead - I'm not sure if this is because my p.a is no longer working there (I sent him an email over a week ago, got an out-of-office auto reply at the time but no follow up since) or if they're no longer doing calls...

So are other people still getting the calls, or has anyone been given an appointment to go into the office for an in-person meeting now that lockdown is effectively over?