Complicated situation - unemployed + pregnant

Hi all,

A close friend of mine has been unemployed for some months and her JB will expire in a few weeks. She now found out that she is pregnant.

My husband has offered to employ her for about 2 days a week to do some general admin for when her JB expires, to not only replace €200 that she will be losing but more importantly to get her more PRSI stamps.

If she works for let's say 5 months (approximately 20 weeks), will she be entitled to maternity banefit having worked for 8+ years before becoming unemployed? Or, what would be the best course of action for her?

Thank you for your help!

got this off the DSFA website hope it helps:

If you are employed you must have:

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave

Or

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2009, the relevant tax year is 2007 and the year following that is 2008.

Or

• At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2009, the relevant tax year is 2007 and the year before that is 2006.

gembem said:

got this off the DSFA website hope it helps:



If you are employed you must have:

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave

Or

• At least 39 weeks PRSI paid since first starting work and at least 39 weeks PRSI paid or credited in the relevant tax year or in the tax year immediately following the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2009, the relevant tax year is 2007 and the year following that is 2008.

Or

• At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year. For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2009, the relevant tax year is 2007 and the year before that is 2006.

Click to expand...

I saw this too. Can somebody confirm that she will be eligible for maternity benefit if she had 34 insured weeks in 2008 + 52 insured weeks in each of 8 years prior to 2008? Her baby is due in mid-April 2010. Also, does she need to be in employment until 2 weeks before her baby is due (all going ok of course).

I just find all those SW rules so confusing...

gembem said:

At least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the relevant tax year and at least 26 weeks PRSI paid in the tax year immediately before the relevant tax year.For example, if you are going on maternity leave in 2009, the relevant tax year is 2007 and the year before that is 2006.

Click to expand...

this is saying that if you have 26 weeks in 2006 and 26 weeks in 2007 you are entitled to to maternity benefit for the year 2009. you say she has 52 weeks PRSI for each of the 8 years prior to 2008....i think she'll get it. If the DSFA website didn't answer your questons maybe it's just best if your friend rings DSFA.

Thanks genbem and jaybird!

Jaybird, it was also my understanding that she'd have to be in employment to avail of maternity benefit. That's one of the reasons why my husband offered her some admin work a couple of days a week as any extra income would really help them for when the baby arrives.