Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022
158. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment when the special €1,860 payment for laid-off workers made redundant after the Covid -19 pandemic emergency period will come into effect; the application process in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6093/22]
View answerReckonable service is service that is included in the calculation of a redundancy lump sum payment. A period of lay-off is not allowable as reckonable service if it occurred within the final 3 years of employment before redundancy.
As the necessary Government-enforced lockdowns caused lay-off situations which resulted in a loss of opportunity for some employees to accrue reckonable service, the State will make a payment in respect of periods of lay-off due to Covid-19 where the employee is subsequently made redundant. In essence a person will receive an amount at the end of their employment as if they had not been laid off.
The amount an eligible worker will receive will depend on the length of time they were placed on lay-off due to Covid-19. The calculation for the payment is based on existing statutory redundancy provisions. The maximum to which any employee will be entitled is €1,860, if they earned €600 or more per week and were laid off for the full emergency period.
The Redundancy Payments (Amendment) Bill which will provide for the payment was published on 21 January and my target is that it will be enacted in the first quarter of this year.
The Department of Social Protection will be responsible for administering this new scheme. Employers will apply on behalf of employees and payment will be made directly to employees. In the event the employer fails or refuses to apply, the Department of Social Protection will accept applications from employees. It is expected that the application process will open in the first half of 2022 and details on how to apply will be announced at that stage.
