JSA and the 9 week penalty

GerryCarry

If you refuse to do a course on JSA you can't be disqualified completely from getting JSA. However what does happen is that you are fined around €44 a week for one week, and then have your JSA cut off completely for 9 weeks. That's what the DSP documentation says. However what the documentation does NOT say is what happens AFTER the 9 weeks are up?

Presumably after 9 weeks your JSA is restored in full. However cant the DSP at that stage simply try and make you do that exact same course again and if you fail to comply, cut your JSA by €44 for one week, and then have your JSA cut off completely for again for another 9 weeks.

In other words the DSP just keeps cutting off your JSA for 9 weeks at a time indefinitely?

Or do the DSP have a rule that once you have gone through one 9 week penalty period, you cant be fined again for say 3 months or something like that. Does anyone on here know?

Dempo1

I think your conflating the 9 week penalty if you voluntarily leave a Job & then apply for a Jobseekers payment but even that is not what occurs.

In relation to your point about not engaging, no one is forced to do a course but they are expected to engage. There are however penalties for clearly not engaging, responding to requests , not showing up for appointments or not actively seeking employment. There are no fines.

It's impossible to say what exact penalties could be but certainly the loss of a percentage of a Jobseekers payment for a period of time. I can't say with certainty if an entire payment is stopped but unlikely.

Engagement is key to avoid penalties.

chiefwiggum

Yes you can lose your JSA payment for 9 weeks for refusing to engage with Turas Nua, Tùs and C.E.

This was suspended during covid but penalties are back in play now.

The decision however, which is daft, is not made at local level but your case is decided in some other part of the country

chiefwiggum

Plus I have to add, anyone who can say "Feck it, I'll take the nine week hit" is obviously getting income from somewhere else.

The DEASP are also aware of this and take a keen interest from there on in.