Social Welfare Difficulties - JS Benefit

Is anybody that has been made unemployed or reduced to a 3 day week have problems with Social Welfare. I was put on a 3 day week in the first week in July and have yet to receive any payment. This is not my problem as I am aware of the backlog.

I have been sent the incorrect forms to complete, i.e. UP11, which when I contacted the Galway SW Office said that that was the wrong form as I should have been sent the CASJB Form which is for Casual Workers. I got the correct forms sent to me, but now I need more for October but they haven't been sent. I attached a note to my last CASJB docket this week and still have not received the correct forms. When I try ringing, I am placed on-hold which costs a fortune and am eventually cut off.

Should I just print out my own letter stating the days I work and highlight the non-receipt of the dockets or should I queue at the Information Desk. The last time I had to sign on before this was in the early 1990's and I even had problems then.

Has anyone had the same problems?

If you are on a 3 day week why don't you go into the Galway office and sort it out in person. Just take a ticket for 'current claim' and wait in the queue....it's much faster than waiting for forms to be sent in the post.

Galway is the most busy office in the country and has serious back log problems; over 30% of claimload are pending decision. This doesn't help solve the issue but from what you say, it's not a major issue just to call in and get the right forms. Ask them for forms for Novmeber as well!

In this day and age why can't one download the forms and save all this messing around and hassle?

I downloaded the forms to originally claim JS Benefit in July and had them completed when I went to the SW Office along with all my documentation that was required per citizensinformation.ie. I was handed and original form to be completed and when I pointed out that I already had one completed the person said that I needn't have bothered as the first meeting is to apply to claim. The form was required for the next week where I had to produce all the documentation again.

But back to topic, I was able to contact the SW Office today by phone, as it is one of my working days, and eventually spoke to someone. They are leaving some forms for me at reception at the Office for me to collect.

Thanks Ann1 & Welfarite for your advice.

toffeeman said:

I downloaded the forms to originally claim JS Benefit in July and had them completed when I went to the SW Office along with all my documentation that was required per citizensinformation.ie. I was handed and original form to be completed and when I pointed out that I already had one completed the person said that I needn't have bothered as the first meeting is to apply to claim. The form was required for the next week where I had to produce all the documentation again.

Click to expand...

WHat a load of rubbish they gave you! Obviously, the person was not up to speed with the new arrangements of forms on line to download and complete. They should have taken the first downloaded form from you and thanked you for saving them work!

Welfarite said:

WHat a load of rubbish they gave you! Obviously, the person was not up to speed with the new arrangements of forms on line to download and complete. They should have taken the first downloaded form from you and thanked you for saving them work!

Click to expand...

Thats what I thought until I went in. I work in QA in Medical device Manufacturing and understand all about forms and having the correct documentation.

It should also be possible to download the CAS JB Forms that I was waiting for as all the details required can be written by the claimant prior to dropping them in the post box at the local SW Office. It would free up a lot of work and hopefully address some of the work causing the backlogs.

That said, I find anyone that I have to deal with at Galway SWO to be very obliging & helpful and could not fault them