COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment

In response to the rapid development of the COVID-19 crisis and the sudden forced closure of Irish businesses, the government has introduced a Pandemic Unemployment Payment which is now available to employees and self-employed persons. This emergency measure will provide a payment of €203 per week to any employed or self employed person who has lost work due to the coronavirus pandemic. The payment will be available for a period of six weeks. It is a requirement for individuals seeking the payment to apply for normal jobseeker’s payments during the six week period.

It is possible to apply for the payment online with a Public Service Card or, in the absence of same, through the post. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has requested that applications for the payment is made online and by post and not to attend at local offices, in order that social distancing rules can be properly observed.

As regards employers, the Government has urged employers to continue paying staff throughout this period and a temporary refund scheme for employers (at a rate of €203 per employee per week) has been established.

Short Time Work Support

In the case of employees who have had their working hours reduced from five days to three days or less, an application can be made for Short-Time Work Support which is a type of Jobseeker’s Benefit and can be paid for up to 234 days. In order to qualify for this relief an employee must;

• Have reduced hours of three days or less per week from full-time hours,;
• Be under 66 years of age;
• Be available for full-time work; and
• Have sufficient PRSI contributions.

How we can help

If you have any queries or concerns, or would like to discuss the above in further detail, please feel free to contact Richard Lee, Partner, BHSM on 01 440 8300 / rlee@bhsm.ie.

Alternatively, please CLICK HERE for further information from the Government of Ireland website.

This article is for general information purposes.  Legal advice must be obtained for individual circumstances.  Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this article, no liability is accepted by the author for any inaccuracies.