Job seekers allowance - taking holidays

magnethead

Hi. Genuinely asking for a friend here

She has just started to get job seekers allowance, but had a 4 week trip planned to visit her parents in another country. She would be taking her kids too, so plenty spent on tickets and no cost of living when she gets there.

The job seekers allowance says she can only take 2 weeks holidays...would there be a problem if she didn't claim for the 4 weeks? Would they end the allowance if it wasn't claimed that long?

Thanks in advance

Pauliedragon

No chance I'm afraid. She gets 2 weeks and has to tell them in advance. She has an obligation to be actively looking for work which is hard abroad.

endofrainbow

She won't be paid those extra 2 weeks.

Wanderer78

would there be an issue for the two unpaid weeks, would it cause issues when she returns in continuing her claim?

SteM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342744#Comment_122342744

Does she have to be 'actively looking for work' or does she have to be available for work? Anyone can be actively looking for work while abroad via job websites etc.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342927#Comment_122342927

both id imagine, hence the two week window, id say the 4 weeks could cause issues…..

28064212

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122342927#Comment_122342927

Both, ref section 141 (4) of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005: https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2005/act/26/section/141/enacted/en/html#sec141

(4) For the purposes of this Chapter, a day shall not be treated in relation to any person as a day of unemployment unless on that day, the person—
(a) is capable of work,
(b) is, or by reason of the person's participation in an activity prescribed for the purposes of this subsection and subject to any conditions that may be prescribed, is deemed to be, or is exempted from being required to be, available for employment, and
(c) is genuinely seeking, but is unable to obtain, suitable employment having regard to the person's age, physique, education, normal occupation, place of residence and family circumstances.

beachhead

I imagine actively seeking work means being available at short notice to attend an interview in person in the country of permanent residence

Ezeoul

Her best option is to go and speak to someone in her local Intreo office face to face. Bring proof that the trip was booked before she signed on for JSA. They will have dealt with issues like this regularly.

I suspect that her JSA claim will be suspended for the last two weeks of her absence from the State, and restarted on her return (with loss of two weeks payment) but if she informs them of the issues in advance, they will instruct her on how to proceed.

Soc_Alt

Im not sure how this works.

How do they know she's on vacation?

beachhead

That's a question.Hasn't signing on at a local Intreo office finished.

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343327#Comment_122343327

Presumably she won’t be in the post office collecting their dole. Not sure if that’s still the system but certainly used to have to collect from the PO

Soc_Alt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343357#Comment_122343357

Funny. I thought people were paid into accounts these days.

salmocab

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343368#Comment_122343368

Could be haven’t had to do it for quite a while

Ezeoul

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343368#Comment_122343368

It was during the pandemic, but not anymore.

Jobseekers is only paid into a bank account if the claimant is working part time and only claiming for some days, or over the age of 62.

Collection is weekly at the post office and if not picked up within a fixed time (I think it's 3 days) it is returned to DSP.

Soc_Alt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343493#Comment_122343493

Thanks

Shoog

There is an exemption for collecting from the PO if you live over 10 miles away from the nearest one. Otherwise you have three days to collect it from the PO and if you don't you have to attend the office to explain why you didn't.

batistuta9

in some POs it's kept for 7 days. ask them and they'll tell you

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343272#Comment_122343272

You can't attend interviews if you are not active seeking as in doing all the applications etc…

SouthWesterly

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343327#Comment_122343327

Money isn't picked up at the post office so they know she's not around

endofrainbow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343327#Comment_122343327

Because she would have had to advise the Department.

StormForce13

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122343283#Comment_122343283

Exactly. That's the sensible approach.

beachhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122344207#Comment_122344207

Thanks for confirming the obvious