# Going to lose my job - if I do 12 hours a week as a sole trader do I lose my entitlement to dole?



## Rockyroad18 (10 Mar 2021)

Hi there
I am currently on gardening leave and will stop being paid in May.  I am looking for a new role but I am at senior level and there are not too many opps out there at the moment.  Nevertheless I will keep looking.  In the meantime I have been given the opportunity to do 12 hours work a week in a totally different area than I work in.  This would be a type of consulting in the HR space.  I would have to set myself up as a sole trader.  My question is.  If I don't have a new job by the time my garden leave is complete will I loose my right to the dole?  I am guessing yes but I just want clarity on it. 
Also want to double check - can I set up as a sole trader while on gardening leave?  I know I can't work for another company.
Thanks for your time.


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## dereko1969 (10 Mar 2021)

Are you certain you can't work for another company even if it's in a "different area"? Check your contract, usually any gardening leave is limited to same industry.
You may be able to structure your consultancy work hours to permit entitlement to social protection payments or limit the reduction in your job seekers benefit.


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## Monbretia (10 Mar 2021)

Are you getting social welfare at the moment or still being paid?  If not yet getting social welfare then you would be better off (I think!) to at least start drawing that as soon as you are able to and then immediately apply for the Short Term Enterprise Allowance, that would give you the option of doing the self employed thing but still retaining the approx 9 months Jobseekers Benefit payment.

I am assuming you do not mean actual dole which is Job Seekers Allowance and is the means tested one, if you have been working continuously for the past few years paying PRSI then you should qualify for Job Seekers Benefit which is not means tested but is just short term after which you could apply for JA but again it's means tested so depends on your situation and anything you are earning from self employment will be taken into account plus of course you must be available for work which depending on how the other job is structured might be hard to do.


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## Rockyroad18 (11 Mar 2021)

Thank you for your replies!  I will be paid until May and I cant work for in another PAYE role until then (and I dont want to ... I need the break).  The consulting work would only be 12 hours but I dont think they can wait until May for me to start.  I'm worried that if I take the consulting hours and something doesnt work out with them that I wont be able to secure Job Seekers then.  Am I right to worry about this?


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## Feemar5 (12 Mar 2021)

Have a look at citizens information site re jobseekers benefit and work.   You can do some work and still get benefit.


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## Monbretia (13 Mar 2021)

A call to Citizens Info wouldn't go astray, they are pretty expert on social welfare.

I'm not sure but usually your claim to JS Benefit is based on your PRSI record of two years previously so in theory you would have an entitlement to claim that until 2023 if things don't work out but the question is whether the fact that you will be registered as self employed messes with that, that's what you need to ask Citizens Info.

If you lose the entitlement to the PRSI related JS Benefit (which is only pretty short term anyway) then your only other option is to apply for Jobseekers Allowance which will be means tested.


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## Rockyroad18 (14 Mar 2021)

Thanks for all your replies folks. Appreciate it!


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## mathepac (1 Jun 2021)

How are things going so far @Rockyroad18?


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