New Jobseekers Benefit

I retired at the end of last year and am current in receipt of JB at the existing rates. I believe that if I was to return to work for a minimum of 13 weeks in the future earning a minimum of €38 per week with a class A PRSI contribution that I would become eligible for another 9 months of JB. As my new eligibility would be after the beginning of April I believe that the new JB values would apply. Can anyone confirm the basis upon which my new JB value would be calculated in this scenario should I decide to return to the workplace.

Sign on for Jobseekers credits when your payments end.
This will keep all options open for future Jobseekers claims.

The existing Jobseekers scheme will run in parallel with the new system, so if you don't meet the rules of the new system you can still qualify for the existing one.

What age are you ?

Deleted - ignore.

S class said:

Sign on for Jobseekers credits when your payments end.
This will keep all options open for future Jobseekers claims.

The existing Jobseekers scheme will run in parallel with the new system, so if you don't meet the rules of the new system you can still qualify for the existing one.

What age are you ?

Jobseeker's Pay-Related Benefit

Jobseeker’s Pay-Related Benefit links the benefit a person may get when they become unemployed to their previous earnings. Available from 31 March 2025.

www.gov.ie

Click to expand...

Thanks S class

I missed that discussion as I've only recently got involved on this forum now that I have the time after retiring. I'm 62 and currently enjoying the free time, reduced stress and no month end/year end deadlines to worry about! Its good to know that any subsequent JB after August would be based on my 2023 or 2024 earnings (time dependent) should I decide to return to the workplace later this year or early 2026. I'll certainly sign on for credits once the current JB payments cease.

For convenience, this is the thread link from which @S class posted a screenshot above:

Presuming you have at least 13 paid class A contributions last year, you only then need to remain signed on for credits during the calendar year of your 63rd birthday to qualify for Benefit Payment 65.

Apart from this you are correct that if you gain 13 weeks employment after your final Jobseekers payment you then requalify for 9 months Jobseekers Benefit.

You might have enough time up to your 65th birthday to include a third period of Jobseekers Benefit by again working for 13 weeks.

Each 13 week employment period would need to be within a single calender year.

The amount of Jobseekers Benefit payment depends on your governing year earnings

Only class A earnings are counted (your pension earnings are not included)

If your governing year earnings are only 13 weeks @ 38 euro per week you will only qualify for minimum rate Jobseekers Benefit.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure to fill any periods between employments with Jobseekers credits. Especially in the calender year of your 63rd birthday.

Thanks S Class

Another one in the mix!

I received a call from my old boss at the weekend to inform me that my replacement has just announced her pregnancy and that she is due in August and if I would be interested and available to provide 3 to 4 hours of supervision each month end during her absence. There are a lot of moving parts that need to be discussed and I’m not currently sure how this would work or indeed if it’s something that I want to get involved in.

In order to help my decision-making process I have a number of questions/points of clarification around JSB as follows:

Assuming my replacement commences maternity leave in August (which currently ties in nicely with my JSB finishing) and returns after 6 months in February 2026 I believe I can then submit another JSB claim for the next 9 months and the weekly amount to be paid would be based upon my earnings in 2024.

If her maternity leave had to start earlier for whatever reason, let’s say June in this case, and IF I got involved at this time, my current JSB payments would cease with circa 8 to 12 weeks remaining on my current claim. In this instance what will happen once she returns, A) will any new claim for JSB that I make be limited to the 8 to 12 untaken weeks from my first claim or B) will the clock start again for 9 months. If A, is that then the limit of my JSB entitlement unless I get another subsequent 13 weeks of paid employment earning €38 gross per week?

@LL????

This is from the operational guidelines for Jobseekers Benefit.

It seems to be saying you would be requalifing for a new claim of JB. If the requalification is within 26 weeks of the previous claim it will paid at the same rate as the previous claim. It will not be based on your earnings in the governing year for the new claim.

Provided you have 13 Prsi contributions within the 26 week period you should qualify for a new JB claim. This should be for another 39 weeks.

I am not certain about this , but I think if you had less than 13 Prsi contributions within the 26 weeks, your original JB claim would still apply and you would then just get the remaining payments from the original 39 weeks.



"Repeat claims
A person who is employed for 4 or more consecutive days and becomes unemployed may make a repeat claim for JB when that employment ends. Where a person re-applies for JB within 26 weeks of a previous JB claim, he or she is entitled to receive the same rate of JB that was previously in payment subject to satisfying the conditions for receipt of the payment and subject to any change of circumstances and budgetary increases."

Thanks S Class much appreciated