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"Jobseekers taking temporary seasonal work over Christmas will have their Jobseeker's payment restored without delay when the temporary work ends" - Minister Burton
The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton TD, today (24 November, 2012) reassured jobseekers who avail of temporary work over the Christmas season that their payments will be immediately reinstated if and when that period of work ends.
“Coming up to Christmas, it is especially important that those undertaking seasonal work do not have any concerns about their Jobseeker's payment afterwards. People who are getting Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance from the Department of Social Protection and who avail of temporary work for up to eight weeks over the Christmas period will have their Jobseeker’s payment reinstated without delay when they finish work.”
A person who is getting either Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance and who receives an offer of temporary employment or a training course should contact their local Intreo Centre or social welfare office and provide them with the relevant details of the work or course that they are undertaking. Similarly, they should contact their local Intreo Centre or social welfare office without delay when the course or employment finishes.
Minister Burton continued: “Jobseekers should not have any concerns about their payment being restored after a period of temporary work. Where a person who is getting Jobseeker’s Benefit or Jobseeker’s Allowance takes up temporary work or avails of a short-term training course for up to eight weeks, my Department will temporarily suspend their claim so that it can be reinstated without delay when the work or training finishes.”
Minister Burton also urged employers who need temporary staff to contact any one of her Department’s network of offices where staff will make every effort to help the employer to get suitable job-ready people to fill their vacancies:
“The Department of Social Protection will help employers to find jobseekers from the live register and employ them as temporary workers for up to eight weeks without it affecting social welfare entitlements, including secondary payments, when the work ceases. Employers will receive a quality service from the Department including the referral of skilled people and information on a range of incentives to assist employers in growing their businesses, such as the JobsPlus scheme.”
JobsPlus is the new wage subsidy scheme for employers where the State pays approximately €1 in €4 of the typical cost of hiring someone who has been on the Live Register for 12 months or more. See www.jobsplus.ie