Following a restructuring of community employment during 1999, the following eligibility criteria apply to persons who wish to participate in the options available under the programme. The part-time integration option is aimed at persons who are unemployed and in receipt of a payment in respect of unemployment assistance, unemployment benefit, qualified adults, one parent family payment or widows/widowers pension for a minimum period of 12 months. The eligibility age for participation in CE was raised from 21 years to 25 years on 1 January 2000 with the following exceptions: travellers, ex-offenders, refugees, people with disabilities, people referred under drugs task force, offshore island inhabitants, and 18 to 24 year olds, referred through EAP, who are 18 months or more unemployed. Persons with disabilities registered with and referred by the NRB are eligible and travellers of any age and in receipt of UA or UB for any period or lone parents allowance for one year or longer qualify. Participants remain on this programme for a period of one year. A limited number of people can remain for a second year in circumstances where it will facilitate their progression to employment.
The part-time job option/rate for the job is targeted at persons who need a longer programme in order to become job ready. Participants must be 35 or over and three years unemployed and in receipt of the payments stated previously. The participant can remain on this option for a period up to three years. There is no age requirement for travellers. They must be in receipt of an unemployment payment for one year or longer to participate in this option. Persons 35 or over with disabilities registered with and referred by the NRB are eligible.