# forced unemployment



## duff (5 Aug 2011)

Hi,

Hope I am posting in the correct forum but to be honest i dont know how to give whats happening a title..

I have worked for a security company 18 months now.  I do shift static security and I am only paid for shifts I do. If I am not working I dont get paid.  Recently the site I was based at went into Administration so they no longer required security at that site so all my shifts were cancelled.

Since then which is now 4 weeks ago I haven't worked at all.  They have offered me 11 hours worth of work just after they cancelled my original shifts but I had to turn them down as I had made other plans as I was due to get married to deal with things related to that..but i havent had a call for work in over 3 weeks.. 

I have bills including rent mounting up.  I cant claim benefits by leaving my job as they say I would be making myself unemployed but I am being forced to as my company havent offered me any work even though I know it was available.  The other guard who was on the site that has closed has been given shifts local to me which I would of assumed I would of been offered. 

I live local and when I was hired they knew I could not travel out of the city I live in, as I rely on public transport..so usually work within my home town is offered to me but since I said I could not do them 11 hours they havent offered me anything.

Really could do with some options on what I can do.


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## robbie00 (8 Aug 2011)

Maybe look for another job some were else working as security in a shop or something as your current line of work doesnt seem very stable with not getting regular hours.

Have you called your company to ask them why you didnt get the work in your local area or why there is no work for you the last four weeks?

I am unsure what your entitlements are with the SW if you are not getting any hours from your company. 

But for your sanity I would look at moving into a role were you are actually guaranteed regular hours.


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## Sue Ellen (8 Aug 2011)

Hi,

Welcome to AAM.

It sounds as if you need to speak to someone in your local Citizen's Information office or Social Welfare Office to see if they can give you some advice on your work situation. 

If you qualify under the PRSI system for Jobseeker's Benefit it sounds as if you have been forced out of your job and, therefore will *not have to meet the 9 week's exclusion clause:*

*Loss of employment* (copied from Jobseeker's Benefit link above)

  You must have suffered a substantial loss of employment in any period of six consecutive days to be eligible for Jobseeker's Benefit. This means that you must have lost at least one day's employment and as a result of this loss be unemployed for at least 3 days out of 6 days. Your earnings must also have been reduced because of the loss of employment. You may be disqualified from getting Jobseeker's Benefit for 9 weeks if you:


Left work voluntarily and without a reasonable cause
Lost your job through misconduct
Refused an offer of suitable alternative employment or suitable training
Are aged under 55 and get a redundancy payment of more than €50,000.     The exact length of your disqualification (up to nine weeks) will, in     practice, depend on the precise amount of redundancy payment you received -     see below.

Hope this helps.

Sue Ellen.


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## sean.c (9 Aug 2011)

You do not have to be unemployed to get social welfare assistance.  I had the exact same situation where I was not fired, but just wasn't getting any more work.  I was able to sign on.
Eventually I did get a P45 when it was clear the situation wasn't goign to improve.
Pop down to the local Citizens Information office.  It's generally useless trying to talk to teh Social Welfare unless you already know what your entitlements are, unless you get a decent person behind the counter.
You should be able to claim jobseekers allowance or benefit as least, as well as Rent Allowance.  The sooner you act, the sooner you'll start getting income.
meanwhile call back your employer and ask them, as has been suggested.  it migth be a misunderstanding.


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