Under the Jobseeker schemes a person can work up to 3 days a week and still retain access to a reduced Jobseeker’s payment, subject to satisfying the statutory scheme conditions. Short-Time Work Support is a non taxable social insurance contribution payment provided under the Jobseeker's Benefit scheme for employees temporarily placed on a shorter working week by their employer and who are not being paid for days of unemployment.
It is a fundamental feature of a range of PRSI related benefits (including Jobseeker's Benefit, Maternity Benefit and Illness Benefit) that they are time limited. Jobseeker's Benefit support is paid for up to 9 months (or 234 days) for people with 260 or more PRSI contributions paid. It is paid for up to 6 months (or 156 days) for people with fewer than 260 PRSI contributions paid.
Where a person exhausts their entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit, they may be eligible for support under the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme. In these cases, the Department will contact the recipient 10 weeks and 4 weeks in advance of the expiry date of their claim to advise them that their entitlement is due to expire and that they may be eligible for the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance.
Under certain circumstances a person may be awarded credits without receiving a Benefit or Allowance payment. This may apply, for example, in the case of a person who has exhausted entitlement to Jobseeker's Benefit but who does not qualify for Jobseeker's Allowance due to their means. In this case, the person may be entitled to 'sign' for credits to protect their future social insurance entitlements such as unemployment, illness or pension schemes.
The means tested Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme provided by the Community Welfare Service is also available to any person who is in need of financial assistance.
I hope that this clarifies the position at this time.
