Implications of being unemployed for a while ?

I don't think Jobseekers Benefit is commonly referred to as dole, I usually hear it called being on your stamps with Jobseekers Allowance referred to as dole.

Most people in either situation know the difference, it's a small one but you have paid for your 'stamps'.
 
Kildavin said:
The first time I signed on, I delayed in signing on and was penalised.
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How were you penalised ? I'm going to read up on the links posted here today and then I guess I'll sign on on Monday but I'll already be a week late.
 
Probably penalised in that the claim will not be backdated to date of finishing work if you don't go in immediately.

There is nothing to be gained in delaying.
 
Protocol said:
welfare/en/Pages/State-Pension-Contributory.aspx

A 1 month gap shouldn't have any impact, no.
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Hi Protocol,

I have read through that link but I still have questions:
(i) The Alternative Average rule states:
It requires that you have an average of 48 Class A, E, F, G, H, N or S contributions (paid or credited) for each contribution year from the 1979/80 tax year to the end of the tax year before you reach pension age (66).
But it fails to define the term 'contribution year' , does this mean
(a) each year in which you make a contribution or
(b) every year from the year you make your first contribution till you are 66 ?
So for example is someone who works from age 26 to 66 much better off than someone who works from 16 -> 36 and then again from 46 to 66 ? Both would have 40 full years of contributions but depending on how contribution year is defined the second person may have an average of 52 (contribution year = any year in which a contribution was made) or 52*40/50 = 41.6 (contribution year = every year from year in which a contribution was first made).

(ii) Is there any provision for credits for people in education ? Again depending on the definition of 'contribution year' it seems that the system may penalize people who re-enter education. eg. I am redundant after 10 years and go back to college for a couple of years to improve my prospects. Does this just drag my average down or is there some sort of credit I can get similar to what I would get while on JSB ?
Related to this is the question of 'Voluntary contributions', if there is no credit while in education and it is dragging your average down can you make voluntary contributions to maintain your average and, if so, at what rate given that you are no longer actually getting paid?

Thanks,

Mochac
 
Gerry Canning said:
DmcL 1971.Seems strange you state JSA sign on once a year ? are you correct?
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In my circumstance, yes. When you reach the end of the 9 months of entitlement for JSB you are assessed to see if you qualify for JSA payments. I did not qualify and am therefore not entitled to any further payments. However, I still have to sign on once a year in order to continue to receive credits.
 
The average is from year you started to work to year you will retire as per state rules. So starting and stopping is a bad plan as is starting too young unless you remain in employment for the full time. The contribution year is the calender year, used to be April to April so there is one year during the changeover that is counted differently.

If you take time out for further education there is no contribution unless you qualified for back to education allowance or similar, not sure if that counts as a credited contribution, your local Citizens Information office could advise.

Voluntary contributions are a flat rate of €500 per year, you must start these within a certain time of finishing paying contributions through work or signing for credits.
 
Monbretia said:
The average is from year you started to work to year you will retire as per state rules. So starting and stopping is a bad plan as is starting too young unless you remain in employment for the full time.... .
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So what's the difference between the 'Normal average rule' and the 'Alternative average rule' then ? As far as I can see they are identical if your first contributions start after 1979. Do they only differ if you started before 1979 ?

Also, welfareDOTie/en/Pages/State-Pension-Contributory.aspx states under the 'Alternative average rule':
Most employed or formerly employed people will be able to meet the alternative average.
How does this make sense? Suppose you take a job the Summer before starting college for a 4year degree at 18 years of age. If you dont work while in college then your average will be 44*52/48 = 47. So without missing a single week apart from when you are in full-time education you still wont meet the 'Alternative average rule'. How can this be reconciled with welfareDOTie saying that 'most' people will satisfy the alternative average ?
 
The alternative average applies to people who have an unbroken record from 1979 to retirement. They will likely have paid some PRSI prior to 1979.

If this is not the case they will then calculate the pension based on the full PRSI record which will extend back before 1979 and calculate pension by going back to the first day you paid PRSI

They will always give you whichever is the best rate fianancially.
 
Gerry Canning said:
DmcL 1971.Seems strange you state JSA sign on once a year ? are you correct?
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I don't this is correct.

I know of someone who did not qualify for JSA as the family income was means tested. She continued to sign on to preserve her PRSI contributions, She was told that she only had to sign on once a year, if she was still out of work.
Anyone I know who gets a JSA payment has to sign on regularly.
 
Okay, I was planning on signing on tomorrow (1 week after being made redundant) but after looking into the specifics of the process I am now inclined not to. Basically the process looks like it is very invasive and could be more of a hindrance than a help. I work in a highly specialized niche and the process of applying for a new position is quite delicate and takes careful planning rather than just sending out CVs, so having someone breathing down my neck looking for proof that I have sent out CVs or worse asking me why I haven't sent CVs to my local McDonald's yet would be more hassle than it is worth and could actually be a distraction from preparing properly for a new job applicaiton. On top of that my redundancy lump-sum means I will be disqualified from receiving any payment for ~2 months and I hope to have a new job by then. So overall it looks like the only thing I am loosing by not signing on is the continuity of my PRSI contributions which I am prepared to risk.
So, the general responses in this thread are that there is nothing to be gained by delaying singing on but now I am asking the complementary question is there anything else (beyond PRSI contribution continuity) that I would be foregoing by delaying signing on ?
If it turns out that I am wrong and that I can't find a job on my own I can sign on later, right?
 
Mochac said:
I work in a highly specialized niche and the process of applying for a new position is quite delicate and takes careful planning rather than just sending out CVs, so having someone breathing down my neck looking for proof that I have sent out CVs or worse asking me why I haven't sent CVs to my local McDonald's yet would be more hassle than it is worth and could actually be a distraction
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They won't be breathing down your neck.

They will, sooner or later, look for proof of job search activity.

They won't force you to apply to McDonald's.
 
There will be no one checking up on you, that comes later when the JB runs out and you go on to JA if you were unfortunate to not get work by then. You have contributed to this payment so there is less proactive chasing of people, it is more for those on means tested payments.

I never heard a word from them other than filling the initial form in the whole 9 months of claim, got one referral to Fas who never got back to me either.
 
They won't be breathing down your neck at all. In fact it is quite the opposite. When I went down to sign on, a few days after I lost my job, I was expecting an interview and a barrage of questions. All they asked was, when did I lose my job. I was then given an appointment to come back in 3 weeks.

After three weeks I went in expecting the full interview and hassle but all they did was explain how to sign on and asked a couple of basic questions and offer me sympathy on being unemployed. My payments were backdated to the time I had initially shown up.

During the 9 months that I was signing on I was required to attend one presentation that explained how they could be of assistance to me if I wanted their help. This consisted of a 10 minute powerpoint presentation. One other time I was sent a form asking me to provide proof that I was attempting to find a job.

My advice is to just sign on, there is no down side to it and you are entitled to it. Why not accept the 188 a week that you are entitled to, just think how much you have paid in during your working life so far.
 
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