The weekly payment can be as much as €450 but there are four key groups that are disqualified from claiming the payment – here’s everything you need to know about them
Minister for Social Protection, Dara Calleary(Image: Collins)
Earlier this year, Jobseeker’s Pay-related Benefit was introduced, which allowed people out of work to avail of a payment directly linked to their earnings before they became unemployed.
The payment is worth up to €450 a week for those eligible to claim it.
The payment, however, is not available to claim for four key groups for a period of up to nine weeks, reports RSVP Live.
You may be disqualified from getting Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit for up to nine weeks if you:
- Left work voluntarily without good cause
- Refuse an offer of suitable employment or training
- Lose your job through your own wilful misconduct
- Refuse or fail to engage with Employment Services Support while your benefit has been reduced
Any period of time that you are disqualified is counted as part of the continuous period of unemployment. You will be awarded credited contributions during your disqualification as long as you continue to be available for, capable of and genuinely seeking work.
Further details on the four factors cited above can be found below:
Refusal of offer of suitable employment
A disqualification of up to nine weeks may be imposed if the Deciding Officer is satisfied that an applicant refused an offer of suitable employment. Each case is examined with regard to the particular circumstances that apply to it.
Loss of Employment through their own misconduct
A disqualification of up to nine weeks may be imposed if the Deciding Officer is satisfied from the evidence before them that the reason the person lost their employment was due to their own misconduct and the misconduct was wilful and has directly caused the loss of the employment. The period of disqualification may only be imposed from the date that the person lost their employment.
Examples of misconduct that may lead to disqualification could include:
- unexplained absence from work/bad timekeeping without valid reason
- theft from place of work
- wilfully disruptive/unreasonable behaviour at work
Occasionally, an employer may give a person the option of resigning rather than being dismissed for misconduct. Where a disqualification is considered appropriate in such a case, the ground of disqualification is “misconduct” rather than “leaving the job voluntarily”.
Voluntarily left employment
A person may be disqualified for receiving Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit for up to nine weeks from the date of leaving employment if they have left it voluntarily without good cause.
‘Good cause’ is not defined in legislation, and it is for the Deciding Officer to consider the facts to show good cause of each case on an individual basis. Factors that may be taken into account could include the circumstances surrounding any changes in working conditions, the financial situation of the firm; whether leaving the employment amounted to constructive dismissal (i.e. the person left the employment following harassment/abuse from the employer).
Refusal or failure to engage with Employment Support Services Measures where benefit has been reduced by 20 per cent
A nine-week Disqualification of Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit may be imposed in circumstances where a person has already had their rate reduced by 20 per cent for a period of not less than 21 calendar days ( three weeks) and continues to refuse or fail, without good cause, to engage in Group Engagement, one to one meetings, suitable education, training or development opportunities or specified employment programmes and schemes.
More details are available on the government website here.
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