Community Employment – CE – is a labour market intervention measure targeted at the long-term unemployed. The primary focus of the programme is the reintegration of the long-term unemployed into the open labour market. Participants on the programme take up part-time employment with a sponsor for a period of one to three years without losing their secondary benefits.
The back to work allowance – BTWA – is available to persons who have completed their CE programme and to other unemployed persons and lone parents who are in a position to take up employment or self-employment. Both CE and BTWA are schemes designed to prepare individuals for work in the open labour market. It would not be appropriate to combine use of these schemes in a manner which would reduce the incentives available to work in the open labour market and thereby impede the transition to work by the long-term unemployed.
BTWA participants are paid 75% of their existing social welfare payment for the first year, 50% for the second year and 25% for the third year along with their earnings. In addition, they retain their secondary benefits. In this way individuals can retain their secondary benefits for a period of up to six years and BTWA acts as an incentive to take up employment and is furthering the aims of the CE programme.