Got job after applying for Jobseekers benefit

[MissG]

Hi
I'll just explain my situation a bit before I ask my question.
I was made redundant at the beginning of October on a thursday. On the following Monday or tuesday I filled out the Online Notification of Unemployment. I tried calling the social welfare office once or twice but there was no answer. I understand they are extremely busy at the moment so I didnt want to hassle them anymore. They are supposed to contact you once you have filled out that form.
Anyway, after nearly 5 weeks I went to the office in tallaght to find out why i hadnt heard anything. They stamped my form and then said to come back in the morning and someone would deal with me. After queuing for the guts of 2 hours the lady told me they couldnt deal with my claim as I was at the wrong office! It was inconvenient but they were very nice so I didn't mind. The following day I had to head to the clondalkin office (apparently they deal with part of my area). I filled in the forms out there and they said they had never received the online notification. They saidI could apply to have my claim backdated so the girl wrote a letter and I signed it. She said they would be in touch.
Ok so now I have a query... I went for an interview on wednesday and found out on friday I got the job. I started today. I do not know what to do now about the Jobseekers benefit. I still want to apply to get the 6 wks payment for the time I was out of work but I am not going to qualify or need the continuing payment. Should I wait til somebody contacts me (they said they would in a couple of weeks) and then tell them the story? Do you think i will get the backdated pay?
How can I contact them if the offices never answer their phone because they are so busy and I am now working 9 to 5.30 every day?
Sorry for the long post!

 

[Havana]

Do ring and let them know even if it means you have to keep calling back. The bf was in the same situation and didn't inform them and when he went to collect his first payment it wasn't there and he was called into to see the cwo. The term fraud was thrown about. Anyway he sorted it and did recieve his back payment but not for a couple more weeks and obviously minus the 2 weeks he'd been working. It was a pain as he could have done with the payment he was due on time as he was waiting for his first months wages.

If you cant get thru maybe write or fax so they have it on record.

 

[Welfarite]

what has happened is that you have now applied for JB from the date you made the on-line notificationaand a decision will be made on the claim up to the date you commence work. Obviously, they will need to know that date. did you get a "signing on" date/time when you made the claim? You should have got one. Call in to the office (or phone) and tell them that you now wish to "sign off" from whatever date you satarted work. If you don't notify them, they will obviously cancel the whole claim as they won't know what the story is with you. If you can't get through, send an Em quoting all references to the Information Section on the website and they will forward it, hoepfully.

 

[Black Sheep]

I agree with Welfarite and would either write (snail mail) or e-mail quoting PPS, any other refs. date of application, and date of "signing off".

I'm never happy with phoning as in such busy offices you have no absolute confirmation that the message was received and acted upon

 

[MissG]

Thanks for your replies guys.
Welfarite I do not have any sort of reference numbers or dates other than my own PPS number. They said they had never received the online notification and I would therefore have to appeal to even be considered to have my claim backdated. They said somebody would be in touch (but as yet no one has, it's been 10 days).
I will write to them and outline the situation but as you can imagine it's stressful and time consuming enough starting a new job and training etc without having to fear I'll be mistaken for a SW fraudster!

 

[Welfarite]

The only refeerence you need is your PPSN. Ther are huge bcaklogs (average 6-8 weeks or more in many offices) so not hearing within 2 weeks means that they probably haven't had a chance to even look at your claim yet! whoever told you that was being optimistic, I think.

The 'on-line notification' is really just an email that is forwarded on to the local office relevant to your address, who then contact you to tell you to come in. It's a nonsense, in my opinion, there to fool people into thinking they are really 'applying' when they are not.

I think you have a very strong case to have your claim backdated. If you notified them on line, you are justified in thinking that they should act on it. If they didn't, it's not your fault. I'd imagine anyone worth their salt will see this and allow your claim from the date you notified them.