Government Benefits Megathread

ByrneBrendy

Can anyone offer some advice on my situation please: working full time past 6yrs with same company, finished on 11th March to take up a new position; started new job on 12th March, temporarily laid off from this job from 16th March: which company should I write on my COVID19 Pandemic Unemployment form or does it matter? Thanks in advance for an advice 😊

mickdw

Has any sole trader managed to get any kind of answer from welfare re the cease trading wording.
The majority are just applying and stating they have ceased which is fair enough and every bit as entitled to a payment as paye but it doesnt sit right with me and might create all manor of hassle down the line.

Skybirdjb

mickdw wrote: »

Has any sole trader managed to get any kind of answer from welfare re the cease trading wording.
The majority are just applying and stating they have ceased which is fair enough and every bit as entitled to a payment as paye but it doesnt sit right with me and might create all manor of hassle down the line.

My husband is a sole trader and his work dried up last week with no jobs booking in . I rang the helpline and they said he was entitled to the payment and to apply for jobseekers while on it so that when the emergency payments end he will still get something.they also said then when work starts coming in again but not a full week he can claim for the days he doesn’t have work in .
They rang the other day to check something on the form so I’m hoping he will get it . I’m presuming it will just have to go down on the returns for this year as social welfare payments
Hope this helps it’s hard enough being a sole trader

extra gravy

https://www.gov.ie/en/news/0a03c4-payment-update-for-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment-and-jobsee/

Payment update

davedanon

extra gravy wrote: »

https://www.gov.ie/en/news/0a03c4-payment-update-for-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment-and-jobsee/

Payment update

Cheers. This bit...

"For example some claims may not have met eligibility criteria."

puzzles me. On what grounds would an applicant not be eligible, I wonder? If the only information is Name, address, PPSN, how would they determine ineligibility?

rahmalec

Skybirdjb wrote: »

My husband is a sole trader and his work dried up last week with no jobs booking in . I rang the helpline and they said he was entitled to the payment and to apply for jobseekers while on it so that when the emergency payments end he will still get something.they also said then when work starts coming in again but not a full week he can claim for the days he doesn’t have work in .
They rang the other day to check something on the form so I’m hoping he will get it . I’m presuming it will just have to go down on the returns for this year as social welfare payments
Hope this helps it’s hard enough being a sole trader

Ya I'm wondering what the story here is.
The specific wording says "ceased trading" but when the scheme was first announced it just said reduced work. Ceasing trading taken in a literal and specific way means having to submit final accounts, deregister business names, close up companies, etc. Completely impractical and the opposite of what I imagine is the spirit of the scheme.

In my own case, I work(ed) in the music industry and it has ground to a complete halt. Only remaining source of income is two hours teaching a week (paye) and possibly a cancellation fee or two here and there. I applied and will see what they say.

extra gravy

davedanon wrote: »

Cheers. This bit...

"For example some claims may not have met eligibility criteria."

puzzles me. On what grounds would an applicant not be eligible, I wonder? If the only information is Name, address, PPSN, how would they determine ineligibility?

I don't know tbh, could it be if they were already receiving another type of welfare payment?

Heres Johnny

zweton wrote: »

got the dreaded call this morning from my manager, they have told me they will pay 430 a week, does this mean I can still qualify for the covid benefit? As in get 430 from employer and 350 for the Covid?

It's 410 anyway, not 430

The 410 has replaced the 350,there is no 350 anymore

easypazz

davedanon wrote: »

Cheers. This bit...

"For example some claims may not have met eligibility criteria."

puzzles me. On what grounds would an applicant not be eligible, I wonder? If the only information is Name, address, PPSN, how would they determine ineligibility?

If you are over 66 you won't get it.

Dodge

davedanon wrote: »

Cheers. This bit...

"For example some claims may not have met eligibility criteria."

puzzles me. On what grounds would an applicant not be eligible, I wonder? If the only information is Name, address, PPSN, how would they determine ineligibility?

Age, residing in ROI, whether you were actually working or not, whether you are still working etc

Aside from the age grounds, you can be sure some chancers put a form in looking for a bit of luck...

zweton

Limpy wrote: »

[PHP][/PHP]

Its capped. If you got the covid19 payment you would get 350, your employer then could top you up 30%.. they need too show business has dropped 25%?

I have not applied for the covid19 payment, I just got news of it this morning. I have been "furloughed" for 3 months. Im guessing there is no guarantee they have to take you back after this time period? Is there anything around this part?

Tommy Max

Masala wrote: »

The €350 is for when stirring at home having be8ng laid off. The €600 is paid for turning up to work and doing 39 hours. If employee doesnt want to work for the difference then he has no option but to quit. He then can only claim €203 a week

No employer is going to pay €€600 a week so you can sit and play with your kids when he has work for you. If he has no work ... he will lay you off and you can sit with the €350 a week then.

Of course.. with yesterday’s figures on predicted unemployment.. you might not have a job to come back to and this €35O could revert bac5 t9 the normal €203 by then.

My point is the subsidy paid to the employer is only €350. the employer might refuse to top it up to make up the €600 for you working. so you would be working for €350 when others would be gettibg the same for sitting at home as you put it. I think I made that pretty clear in my first comments. it does not seem right so that is why I'm asking for clarity?

Just Saying

celt262 wrote: »

What's the story where the employers business is down by 50% but they can afford to pay wages for the next 6 weeks. Can they get on the 70/30 scheme?

I ask as the company i work for are saying they cannot get it as they have money in the bank to pay wages for 6 weeks. They are not doing this and have put us on 2 day weeks and asking us to sign on for 3 days.

They can get it. This specific scenario was covered in the new guidelines which were issued on the Revenue website today.

In fairness to your employer it was unclear up until today if the employer would qualify in this scenario.

Tommy Max

bruce wayne wrote: »

The revenue website explains it pretty well

https://revenue.ie/en/corporate/communications/covid19/temporary-covid-19-wage-subsidy-scheme.aspx

Basically the scheme is a mechanism for employers to keep their employees on their books rather than having to let them go and for the employees to have to apply for the payment themselves.

Under the scheme, the employer can claim up to €410 per week for each employee. So their option is to send the employee home and reduce their salary down to €410, or if they can afford it they can top €410 amount and maintain their employees salary. So in the case of your example if the employee was earning €600, if the employer uses this scheme and they only need to top up the employees payment by €190 a week - thus reducing their wage bill and maintaining the employees salary.

It really all depends on what the employer can afford. If sales have fallen off a cliff and there is no money coming in, then at the very least they can apply this scheme and the employees get the €410 a week without the hassle of being let go and having to apply via welfare.

The scheme is only for companies that have been drastically hit by the crisis and there is no work for the employees, or they have been ordered to close down (coffee shop employees or hairdressers might be a good example)- it is not for employees that are still coming into work. If an employee is still coming into work they are to be paid their normal salary.

Thanks Bruce Wayne. so just to be clear. if the company only pay the subsidy €350 for sonebody on usually net €600 a week, they are not working?

if the company fail to top it up then the employee is not obligated to return to work for €350.

My concern was the employer could abuse it by getting highly qualified staff to work for €350 a week that the government are paying them for.

easypazz

Tommy Max wrote: »

Thanks Bruce Wayne. so just to be clear. if the company only pay the subsidy €350 for sonebody on usually net €600 a week, they are not working?

if the company fail to top it up then the employee is not obligated to return to work for €350.

My concern was the employer could abuse it by getting highly qualified staff to work for €350 a week that the government are paying them for.

The employer must pay minimum wage at least.

recyclebin

If I was in this scenario, I would only work for the proportion that I'm getting paid for e.g if normal net pay was 820 and now I only get 410 then the max i would fork would be half my normal hours. The employer should not be profiting from this.

easypazz

recyclebin wrote: »

If I was in this scenario, I would only work for the proportion that I'm getting paid for e.g if normal net pay was 820 and now I only get 410 then the max i would fork would be half my normal hours. The employer should not be profiting from this.

That is why its a bit of a quagmire. Hard to implement.

Lyra Fangs

Hi guys, partner is filling in the claim form. It's asking for last payment date from employer. His employer paid him once for the emergency payment yesterday then informed him he would need to apply himself for future payments. So is the last payment date his previous normal payday or yesterday?

Thanks!

Kewreeuss

davedanon wrote: »

Cheers. This bit...

"For example some claims may not have met eligibility criteria."

puzzles me. On what grounds would an applicant not be eligible, I wonder? If the only information is Name, address, PPSN, how would they determine ineligibility?

Maybe your employment is still active. Revenue said there needs to be a cessation date. I guess when SW go to pay you they can check this, to see if you are actually unemployed.

tdf7187

are the post offices open next week does anyone know?

threeball

So whats the story now for companies that where open until today and have now been closed due to the government decision. Are those companies eligible for the 70/30 scheme or do they need to lay off staff so they can avail of the €350 weekly payment. And if they are able to do 70/30 must it be on the employees full wage now or can employees take a reduced wage.

NewRed2

threeball wrote: »

So whats the story now for companies that where open until today and have now been closed due to the government decision. Are those companies eligible for the 70/30 scheme or do they need to lay off staff so they can avail of the €350 weekly payment. And if they are able to do 70/30 must it be on the employees full wage now or can employees take a reduced wage.

Have you been listening to the radio lately? Newstalk and RTE? They've had several accountants, business lawyers and economists on about this scheme.
It sounded like it was a very flawed and potentially dangerous scheme for employers to sign up to. You would essentially be declaring insolvency, having the name of your business published and leaving yourself open to hge penalties if Revenue decided you were ineligible afterwards. Not only that but you would have had to pay tax on it too, apparently (later in the year).
It was a hugely flawed scheme, hopefully now this will mean not too many fall into trouble over it, although apparently 12,500 business had already signed up for it. Just play safe and let the employees take the 350 welfare. I mean, even if they signed up for this scheme they were only getting 350 anyway unless they were on a certain band of pay.


I had considered it but then heard about all the nonsense that went with it and ran a mile. Government made it sound like they were helping businesses with this but in reality it would have badly burned a lot of employers when the supposed idea was to help businesses.

tritriagain

I'm on jsb for last 5 weeks. Have applied to get it paid into bank account but haven't heard word yet. I read somewhere that I don't have to collect money on the day now. Can leave it for 90 days. Can anyone confirm this.

AdrianG08

tritriagain wrote: »

I'm on jsb for last 5 weeks. Have applied to get it paid into bank account but haven't heard word yet. I read somewhere that I don't have to collect money on the day now. Can leave it for 90 days. Can anyone confirm this.

You can get this sorted immediately over phone, just give them your bank account number and sort code. Hope that helps.

tritriagain

AdrianG08 wrote: »

You can get this sorted immediately over phone, just give them your bank account number and sort code. Hope that helps.

Thanks. I presume ring my local office?

bigboss1986

Last Monday I was put on 3 days week so I could claim 2/5 of 203e fair enough.

Got X and O forms for 12 weeks on wednesday.Just had phone call that we have to close and we will be closed for 4 weeks.
I have not sent any dockets yet.Can I still apply for Covid 19 emergency payment from tomorrow?

Wanderer19

bigboss1986 wrote: »

Last Monday I was put on 3 days week so I could claim 2/5 of 203e fair enough.

Got X and O forms for 12 weeks on wednesday.Just had phone call that we have to close and we will be closed for 4 weeks.
I have not sent any dockets yet.Can I still apply for Covid 19 emergency payment from tomorrow?

If there's a duplicate payment they'll look into it. Best to go in/ring and explain what happened. You're now entitled to the €350, not a portion of €203.

AdrianG08

tritriagain wrote: »

Thanks. I presume ring my local office?

yes. keep trying until you get through, should be very quick. best of luck to you

Tomrota

“If you are applying for COVID19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, you also need to apply for Jobseekers”.

Wait why? Why is this? I thought they were separate??

noble00

tdf7187 wrote: »

are the post offices open next week does anyone know?

Yeah the post offices will be open