Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 September 2022
286. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection the position in respect of education workers who need to sign for unemployment benefits during holiday periods; if claims are closed by her Department when such persons return to work or if the claims remain permanently open; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46573/22]
View answerEducational Sector Workers (ESWs) who wish to avail of income support while temporarily laid-off during the school breaks can apply for a jobseeker’s payment but must satisfy all the qualifying conditions to receive this payment. When an education worker returns to employment after a temporary lay-off, their jobseeker's claim is stopped until the next school break. A 'payment suspend' is inserted on the claim on the date the person returns to employment to ensure that no additional jobseeker’s payments issue incorrectly to a person. When a person makes a repeat jobseeker’s claim, the 'payment suspend' is lifted and the claim becomes active again.
Jobseeker claims do not remain permanently open as all claims are subject to review and may be closed where a person no longer satisfies the conditions to receive the payment and where a person is no longer in contact with the Department.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
