You need to know what to do if you lose your job
Dismissal and redundancy
It is widely recognised that losing your job can be one of the most difficult times of your life. If you lose your job you may have been made redundant or you may have been dismissed. If it is a redundancy situation you may qualify for a redundancy payment. If you have been let go from your job, you should check that your employer had fair grounds for your dismissal. When you lose your job, you are entitled to notice and you may also be entitled to payment in lieu of wages and for holidays. If you let go from your job in Ireland you must be given a P45 form and you may have certain entitlements including notice and pay for annual leave earned but not taken.
What if I have no job? If you are unemployed, you may be entitled to receive money called Jobseeker’s Benefit (sometimes called ‘unemployment benefit’) from the state. To receive this benefit you must:
Jobseeker’s Benefit To apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit you should contact your Local Social Welfare Office.
To apply you need to bring:
Other benefits Other social welfare payments that may be available to people who are unemployed include the following. Jobseekers Allowance: you may qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) which is based on your weekly means.
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
(Self-Employed): If you would like to become self-employed, you may qualify for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. It lets you keep a portion of your social welfare payment for two years.
illness benefit
You may be entitled to ‘Illness Benefit’ if you cannot work because you are ill. You must be under 66 years of age and covered by a certain number of (PRSI) social insurance contributions to get Illness Benefit. If you do not have enough contributions, you should contact the Community Welfare Officer at your Local Social welfare office:
Contact Details
Address:
Dominick Street, Limerick
Phone: (061) 212200
Fax: (061) 414448
Opening Hours: Mon 9:30 - 15:00, Tues, Wed, Thurs and Fri 9:30 - 16:00
Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
You must apply for Illness Benefit within seven days of becoming ill. No payment is made for the first three days of illness. The length of time Illness Benefit is paid depends on the number of PRSI contributions you have made. There are certain forms you must submit to your local Social Welfare Office in order to receive payment. The first one is known as ‘MC1’. You can get this from your family doctor (GP) or hospital doctor. If you are ill for a longer period, you must send in an ‘MC2’ form each week. Your doctor will also give you this form. You must get a final medical certificate from your family doctor before you go back to work. If you are out sick for more than three consecutive days you are usually required to provide your employer with a medical certificate (from your GP or family doctor). This shows your employer that you were unfit to work. You can get more information at your Social Welfare Office or Citizens Information Centre.
Limerick CIC
54 Catherine Street
Limerick
Co. Limerick
Tel: 0761 07 5780
Fax: 061 313237
What if I am temporarily too ill to work?
Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by social insurance (PRSI). Normally, you must be getting Illness Benefit for at least 12 months before you claim Invalidity Pension. Otherwise you may claim Disability Allowance, which is means tested. This means that all of the income of the household will be taken into account. To get Invalidity Pension you must have at least:
To apply, fill in an Invalidity Pension application form which you can get online at www.welfare.ie; at your local Social Welfare Office; or Citizens Information Centre.
What if I have a long-term illness?
Contact your local social Welfare Office or Citizen Information Centre for more details.
What if I am injured at work?
If you are injured at work or on your way to or from work you may qualify for Injury Benefit and the Medical Care Scheme. The Injury Benefit is a weekly payment while you cannot work. To apply for this you must complete an Injury Benefit Form and return it to your local Social Welfare Office, or post it to:
The Injury Benefit Section,
Department of Social and Family Affairs,
PO Box 1650.
Dublin 1.
Occupational Injuries Scheme
The Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme provides a range of benefits for people injured or incapacitated by an accident at work or while travelling directly to or from work. For more information contact your Social Welfare Local Office or at the Occupational Injuries Benefit Section:
Occupational Injuries Benefit Section,
Depar tment of Social and Family Affairs,
Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin
Phone: (01) 704 3018 or (01) 704 3020
Maternity and parental leave
Maternity Benefit is a payment made to women who are on leave from work after giving birth.You need to have made a certain number of PRSI (social insurance) payments to qualify for this benefit. You should apply for the payment six weeks before you intend to go on maternity leave (12 weeks if you are self-employed). The amount of money paid to you depends on your earnings. If you are already on certain social welfare payments then you will get half-rate Maternity Benefit. Maternity Benefit is a tax-free payment and is paid for 26 weeks. To apply, fill in a Maternity Benefit application form, available from the Citizens Information Centre or your local Social Welfare Office, and send it to the Maternity Benefit Section of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, Social Welfare Services Office, St. Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, County Donegal. Phone: (01) 704 3000. LoCall:1890 690 690. Email:[email protected]. Bylaw, employers must report workplace accidents to the Health and Safety Authority, as soon as possible. Your employer should submit Incident Reports (IR1 form) and where appropriate Construction Reports (AF2 Form). You are entitled to a copy of this report from your employer. For more information, contact the Health and Safety Authority, Head Office, The Metropolitan Building, James Joyce Street, Dublin 1. LoCall 1890 289 389, 01 614 7000, www.hse.ie.
Dismissal and redundancy
It is widely recognised that losing your job can be one of the most difficult times of your life. If you lose your job you may have been made redundant or you may have been dismissed. If it is a redundancy situation you may qualify for a redundancy payment. If you have been let go from your job, you should check that your employer had fair grounds for your dismissal. When you lose your job, you are entitled to notice and you may also be entitled to payment in lieu of wages and for holidays. If you let go from your job in Ireland you must be given a P45 form and you may have certain entitlements including notice and pay for annual leave earned but not taken.
What if I have no job? If you are unemployed, you may be entitled to receive money called Jobseeker’s Benefit (sometimes called ‘unemployment benefit’) from the state. To receive this benefit you must:
- have a substantial loss of employment and as a result be unemployed for at least three days in six;
- be under 66 years of age;
- have enough social insurance (PRSI) contributions;
- be capable of work; and
- be available for and genuinely seeking work.
Jobseeker’s Benefit To apply for Jobseeker’s Benefit you should contact your Local Social Welfare Office.
To apply you need to bring:
- your Personal Public Service Number (PPS No.);
- details of your availability for work;
- details of your income;
- details of your spouse or partner’s income (if any);
- details of your dependent children;
- your P45 and P60 (forms from your last employer);
- proof of your identity; and
- proof of address (a utility bill such as electricity – a mobile phone bill is not regarded as proof of address).
Other benefits Other social welfare payments that may be available to people who are unemployed include the following. Jobseekers Allowance: you may qualify for Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) which is based on your weekly means.
Back to Work Enterprise Allowance
(Self-Employed): If you would like to become self-employed, you may qualify for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance. It lets you keep a portion of your social welfare payment for two years.
illness benefit
You may be entitled to ‘Illness Benefit’ if you cannot work because you are ill. You must be under 66 years of age and covered by a certain number of (PRSI) social insurance contributions to get Illness Benefit. If you do not have enough contributions, you should contact the Community Welfare Officer at your Local Social welfare office:
Contact Details
Address:
Dominick Street, Limerick
Phone: (061) 212200
Fax: (061) 414448
Opening Hours: Mon 9:30 - 15:00, Tues, Wed, Thurs and Fri 9:30 - 16:00
Supplementary Welfare Allowance.
You must apply for Illness Benefit within seven days of becoming ill. No payment is made for the first three days of illness. The length of time Illness Benefit is paid depends on the number of PRSI contributions you have made. There are certain forms you must submit to your local Social Welfare Office in order to receive payment. The first one is known as ‘MC1’. You can get this from your family doctor (GP) or hospital doctor. If you are ill for a longer period, you must send in an ‘MC2’ form each week. Your doctor will also give you this form. You must get a final medical certificate from your family doctor before you go back to work. If you are out sick for more than three consecutive days you are usually required to provide your employer with a medical certificate (from your GP or family doctor). This shows your employer that you were unfit to work. You can get more information at your Social Welfare Office or Citizens Information Centre.
Limerick CIC
54 Catherine Street
Limerick
Co. Limerick
Tel: 0761 07 5780
Fax: 061 313237
What if I am temporarily too ill to work?
Invalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who cannot work because of a long-term illness or disability and who are covered by social insurance (PRSI). Normally, you must be getting Illness Benefit for at least 12 months before you claim Invalidity Pension. Otherwise you may claim Disability Allowance, which is means tested. This means that all of the income of the household will be taken into account. To get Invalidity Pension you must have at least:
- 260 (five years’) paid PRSI contributions since entering social insurance; and
- 48 contributions paid or credited in the last complete tax year before the date of your claim.
To apply, fill in an Invalidity Pension application form which you can get online at www.welfare.ie; at your local Social Welfare Office; or Citizens Information Centre.
What if I have a long-term illness?
Contact your local social Welfare Office or Citizen Information Centre for more details.
What if I am injured at work?
If you are injured at work or on your way to or from work you may qualify for Injury Benefit and the Medical Care Scheme. The Injury Benefit is a weekly payment while you cannot work. To apply for this you must complete an Injury Benefit Form and return it to your local Social Welfare Office, or post it to:
The Injury Benefit Section,
Department of Social and Family Affairs,
PO Box 1650.
Dublin 1.
Occupational Injuries Scheme
The Occupational Injuries Benefit Scheme provides a range of benefits for people injured or incapacitated by an accident at work or while travelling directly to or from work. For more information contact your Social Welfare Local Office or at the Occupational Injuries Benefit Section:
Occupational Injuries Benefit Section,
Depar tment of Social and Family Affairs,
Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, Store Street, Dublin
Phone: (01) 704 3018 or (01) 704 3020
Maternity and parental leave
Maternity Benefit is a payment made to women who are on leave from work after giving birth.You need to have made a certain number of PRSI (social insurance) payments to qualify for this benefit. You should apply for the payment six weeks before you intend to go on maternity leave (12 weeks if you are self-employed). The amount of money paid to you depends on your earnings. If you are already on certain social welfare payments then you will get half-rate Maternity Benefit. Maternity Benefit is a tax-free payment and is paid for 26 weeks. To apply, fill in a Maternity Benefit application form, available from the Citizens Information Centre or your local Social Welfare Office, and send it to the Maternity Benefit Section of the Department of Social and Family Affairs, Social Welfare Services Office, St. Oliver Plunkett Road, Letterkenny, County Donegal. Phone: (01) 704 3000. LoCall:1890 690 690. Email:[email protected]. Bylaw, employers must report workplace accidents to the Health and Safety Authority, as soon as possible. Your employer should submit Incident Reports (IR1 form) and where appropriate Construction Reports (AF2 Form). You are entitled to a copy of this report from your employer. For more information, contact the Health and Safety Authority, Head Office, The Metropolitan Building, James Joyce Street, Dublin 1. LoCall 1890 289 389, 01 614 7000, www.hse.ie.