JSA to Maternity Benefit

I have been on JSA since sept this year as my stamps run out. I'm due a baby now at start of 2012 and I rang up Maternity section today and they stated that i have 10 credits in 2010 (or something like that) and that i will qualify for Maternity benefit if i put on ONE A class PRSI contribution after 21st Nov (which is 16 weeks before baby due) and then put in p45 with maternity application form to qualify.

First can anyone clarify this and secondly what happens if maternity benefit is less than what i'm getting on JSA at the moment??? and Thirdly what happens after maternity benefit is finished.(thats if i qualify).

Can anyone shine a light on this.
Thanks

yes, you need to get 1 stamp PRSI within 16 weeks of due date. Otherwise you don't qualify for it. I got one day last year when I was due by the skin of my teeth, and qualified even though I worked for 12 years before been made redundant. Even 1 day is enough in insurable employment where you earn approximately €40 , that gets you a stamp.

You must be in employment, and therefore be eligible for Maternity Leave, to be eligible for Maternty Benefit. It doesn't matter how long you have been working for, you are entitled to Maternity Leave even if you have only been working for one day.

You must also meet the PRSI requirements which are:

The PRSI contributions can be from employment or self-employment - PRSI classes that count for Maternity Benefit are A, E, H and S (self-employed).
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 2011, the relevant tax year is 2009 and the year following that is 2010.

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 2011, the relevant tax year is 2009 and the year before that is 2008.

Click to expand...

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/e..._families_and_children/maternity_benefit.html

Your Maternity Benefit is going to be at least the level of your Jobseekers Allowance (the minimum level is 217.80 plus increases for dependents). You would submit a new application for Jobseekers Allowance after your Maternity Leave ended (provided that you still meet the criteria for JA) and it will link back into your previous claim.

If you don't manage to get Maternity Benefit, then your Jobseekers will continue while you're pregnant. Provided that you let them know the due date, they will excuse you from signing in the last 4 weeks of the pregnancy and the first 12 weeks afterwards. Technically you will be expected to be seeking work, although they excuse you from signing on. After the 12 weeks is up you'll be expected to sign on again. You should consider what arrangements you would make in the event of getting employment, as they will expect you to be available for full-time work and they may review whether you are Genuinely Seeking Work in light of the new child.