# Jobseekers Benefit -Proof of looking for work



## Cashstrapped (30 Mar 2007)

Hi, I  have been receiving Jobseekers Benefit since I was put on a 3 day week a few months back.  Since then myself and my Employer have been receiving correspondence from SW looking to confirm dates of Employment etc. this has been no problem as everything is above board.  

However I now received a form from them asking me to provide confirmation that  I have been looking for work, giving details of jobs applied for and any correspondence with potential Employers.  Does anyone have any idea exactly how many such pieces of correspondence I need in order to continue receiving JS Benefit as my current Net Pay covers my mortgage and childcare cost so I am currently living on JS Benefit to pay bills and food etc.  Problem is that any of the jobs I applied for or enquired about that are full-time are paying below the salary I am receiving for a 3 day week and do not provide any pension plan like I already have.  Will the SW accept that I need to find a job that pays more than I am currently on from my current Employer as obviously if I take a 5 day week job it will mean extra childcare costs and therefore I need to earn more.  Also most other jobs on offer locally are covering Maternity terms or One Year Contracts, would I be expected to take one of these jobs which could not guarantee the same terms and conditions of my current job, will they cut me off JS Benefit if I do not accept one of these job? Any advice would be appreciated.


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## dontaskme (30 Mar 2007)

I'm not sure how many letters precisely would suffice but you have to show you are genuinely looking for work.
If you register with recruitireland you will have emails you can print off.
http://www.welfare.ie/foi/fis.html
There is something called the Family Income Supplement, maybe you could check if you are eligible at the above link.


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## ClubMan (30 Mar 2007)

Cashstrapped said:


> Does anyone have any idea exactly how many such pieces of correspondence I need in order to continue receiving JS Benefit


Surely you just need to send them whatever you have?


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## Cashstrapped (30 Mar 2007)

Thanks Dontaskme, I had looked at FIS as an alternative if JS is cut.  

Yeah Clubman, thought that too but it appears no matter what I send them they seem to want more (from previous correspondence with them) so I was trying to ensure I had enough pieces of correspondence for them, even if only acknowledgments of my CV, before arriving home to another brown envelope from them!! Giving that the Salaries been offered are not enough to meet my current monthly committments I have not applied for these jobs because even if I was to be offered one I couldn't accept it because it wouldn't meet my financial committments as well as wasting potential Employeers time, but in saying that I am genuinely looking but is that enough?.


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## ClubMan (30 Mar 2007)

Cashstrapped said:


> Giving that the Salaries been offered are not enough to meet my current monthly committments I have not applied for these jobs because even if I was to be offered one I couldn't accept it because it wouldn't meet my financial committments


I don't think that _SW _will worry about this as it's not their problem. If they feel that you have been turning down paying jobs then the potential implications for your claim are obvious...


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## Cashstrapped (30 Mar 2007)

That was exactly where I was coming from on my query, I don't have any offers of jobs either because I didn't get the job or I didn't apply because I would be financially worse off, suppose the alternative is accept a less paid job if offered and then apply for FIS which ends up costing SW and ultimately the Tax Payer more, can't work this system out at all.


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## Swallows (31 Mar 2007)

Cashstrapped, this is what you must do, you will have been sent a form asking you to list the names and addresses of employers where you have asked for employment, yes? Go in to your nearest town and ask in the shops or other businesses if they have any work and get them to give you a note signed by them to say they have no work. Send in adverts from your local paper with the date of when you phoned the number etc. Also emails from companies to say they have no vacancies. Letters from companies to say they have no employment. This is what is required and is standard for everyone when applying for unemployment assistance. Make sure you also include your CV. Usually eight pieces of correspondence will suffice. Hope this helps.


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## Cashstrapped (31 Mar 2007)

Thanks Swallows, have 6 so will work on another few.  Appreciate the advice.


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## bond-007 (31 Mar 2007)

I had the same problem and the social welfare would only accept letters of rejection (PFOs) as proof of looking for work. As most places don't even acknowledge an application let alone send out a letter this prooved difficult. The Inspector was not happy with saying you applied to x,y or z via fás jobs or some other website. I managed to get away with it and thankfully I found a job soon afterwards.


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## Swallows (1 Apr 2007)

The shops in our local town are well used to people asking for a signed note on headed paper to say there is no work. As you say, employers rarely respond to applications so there is hardly ever a letter of rejection to send in to Social Welfare. After all it's nothing personal to Cashstrapped but Social Welfare need the paperwork to process the claim. That's all it is and everyone gets treated the same. Once you know what is required you can prepare your paperwork, and if you are still unemployed after six months they will send you another form requiring the same again.


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## Welfarite (2 Apr 2007)

The only thing SW are interested in is your GENUINE efforts to get work so you are not expected to just go into shops and ask for letters to make up a nuymber that doesn't exist. These will appear as if you're trying to play the system and might cast doubt on your other genuine efforts! Not taking jobs that would mean you losing money is a valid reason for turning them down. If you told them what you has posted here, I'm sure they will consider you as genuinely seeking work, in any case. Good luck!


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## ClubMan (2 Apr 2007)

Welfarite said:


> Not taking jobs that would mean you losing money is a valid reason for turning them down.


Is it really? Is this in the "rules" somewhere?


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## bond-007 (2 Apr 2007)

Most of these things are not formally written down as rules. It's all at the discretion of the inspector in question. It's all to do with what is reasonable.
That's why a lot of UB/UA discisions are overturned on appeal.


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## Swallows (3 Apr 2007)

I'm afraid I have to disagree with Welfarite, because this is exactly what the Social Welfare told my daughter after she applied for unemployment assistance. She sent off her applications to the companies but received no replies and hence had no rejection letters to send SW. She heard nothing about her application for UA and after 6 weeks thought she had better phone and find out what was wrong.After explaining the situation she was advised to ask in the local shops for letters of rejection so that her claim could be processed. She was not looking for shop work either, she has a degree and a post graduate diploma, but if nothing was available in her line of work then yes she was expected to ask the shops or local businesses. This she did and yes she was genuinely looking for work and not skiving. It is the letters of rejection that Social Welfare are looking for and it is really annoying for people to think that someone is not looking for work if they claim UA. You might live in an area where there isn't much work and it's not your fault if you can't find any.


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## efm (4 Apr 2007)

Does welfare take the cost of childcare into account as a valid reason for not accepting a job?  ie if the cost of available full time child care in your area is more than you would get net from a job, can you reject the job (assuming you're on UA)?

We are going through this at the moment and got a different message from FAS than we got from Social Welfare.


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## Swallows (4 Apr 2007)

Probably not is the answer, because you can always claim F.I.S. or maybe some other benefit to make up your money.


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