Maternity Benefit while on ICB

[DMOR]

Hi
My wife is expecting in August 2014. She availed on an incentivised career break from Jan 14.
SW are saying :
"
Maternity Benefit is a payment made for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who satisfy certain PRSI contribution conditions on their own insurance record.
Toqualify for payment of Maternity Benefit, in addition to having met the PRSI contributions for the tax year relevant to her claim,a woman must also be in insurable employment that is covered by the Maternity Protection Act, 1994 immediately before the first day of maternity leave. The last day of insurable employment must be within 16 weeks of the end of the week your baby is due.
As you wife is due her baby on 08/2014 then she is required to be in insurable employment up to the 05/2014 in order to have her claim considered. As she in on career break since 01/01/2014 then she is not in insurable employment within 16 weeks of the end of the week her baby is due. Unfortunately, she will not qualify for payment of Maternity Benefit.

The purpose of the Maternity Benefit scheme is to redress women who suffer a loss of earnings while on maternity leave from their employment. "

I there any way she can avail
Thanks

 

[huskerdu]

What are the terms of the incentivised career break ? When you say incentivisedm do you mean that she is being paid a small amount to go on career break.

 

[DMOR]

Hi
Yes, she receives a small amount to go on career break. The scheme does not deny access to social welfare, but it is a decision for SW to make.
The ICB scheme says:

"A career break may be allowed for family reasons, other domestic purposes, travel abroad, volunteering overseas, self-employment or educational purposes. An ICB is not available for taking up paid employment in the State, with any agency or company providing services to a publicly funded body in the State, or for educational purposes where the student/trainee is in an employment relationship with the training body and is in receipt of a normal salary/wage."

Thanks