Government confirms part-time workers can avail of Covid-19 payment!

The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has said that part-time workers can avail of the new emergency Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment.

The Department said the income support can be claimed by people aged between 18 and 66, who are resident in Ireland, have become “fully unemployed” as a result of the virus, and are not being paid by their employer.

They must have been in employment or self-employment on or after 6 March – a condition that will allow to factor in people who may have been on shift, short time, or other atypical work patterns prior to the commencement of the benefit entitlement on 13 March.

However the Department states clearly: “There is no restriction on the number of hours the person has to have been working.  The only requirement is that they have become fully unemployed since 13th March, 2020”.

This means that anyone who was working part-time and claiming a Jobseeker payment either casually or on a systematic short-time basis (Short Time Work Support) is entitled to the payment – again provided they have now become fully unemployed.

The Department also said: “If a rate of payment higher than €350 per week is due, an adjustment will be made to the existing claim”.

Eligible applicants must apply either online at www.mywelfare.ie  or by completing a paper application form.

The Department has experienced unprecedented demand for income supports including the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Jobseeker payments since 13 March.

It said it is working on a technical solution to enable the payment to be made as soon as possible to these “casual customers” who interact with the Department on an intermittent basis.