Operational Guidelines: Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme

Description of Scheme

The Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJI) is a scheme which allows persons who are long-term unemployed to take up part-time employment for less than 24 hours per week and receive a special weekly income supplement. Participants in this scheme are expected however to continue to make efforts to find full-time work.

Legislation

The Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme is an administrative scheme and is not covered by legislation. It was set up by Government decision in December 1986.

Administration

The Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme is administered by the Department's Intreo Centres/Social Welfare Branch Offices.

Qualifying Conditions in Summary

To qualify for the Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme, a person must be in receipt of Long Term Jobseeker's Allowance.

Qualifying Conditions in Detail

The person must

• have been fully unemployed and in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance for 312 days prior to commencing on the Part-Time Job Incentive scheme
• have been in receipt of a higher jobseeker's payment than the appropriate Part-Time Job Incentive supplement payable
• undertake to remain on the scheme for at least two months
• not be in receipt of another Social Welfare payment, other than one which is not included in section 247 of the Social Welfare (Consolidation) Act, 2005 (as amended), and
• not be in receipt of any other allowance or an allowance in respect of a course of education, training and development.

The job must

• be insurable under the Social Welfare Acts at class A or J rate of contribution, and
• involve working for less than 24 hours per week. A person may have one or more jobs, provided the jobs meet the stated criteria and the total number of hours weekly is less than 24

Smallholders or self-employed persons are not permitted to take part in the scheme.

Duration of PTJI

PTJI is awarded for one year only but may be extended for up to 12 weeks in exceptional circumstances. The person must continue to look for full-time work while on the scheme.

PTJI may be awarded for subsequent claims provided the person has been in receipt of JA for a further 312 days after their last PTJI claim and meets all the qualifying conditions for PTJI.

Termination of PTJI

Entitlement to PTJI is terminated if the person is employed for 24 hours or more per week or if the employment is terminated.

Temporary breaks in PTJI

Where a person who has been in receipt of PTJI claims Illness Benefit, they may return directly to the Part-Time Job Incentive scheme when the period on Illness Benefit ceases, provided all other conditions are satisfied.

If a PTJI claim stops without exhausting the full entitlement because the part-time job ends, and the person then secures another part-time job within 52 weeks of the original job ending, the remaining entitlement to PTJI may continue with the new employer.

Employees such as school bus drivers/wardens who are participating in the PTJI scheme may claim a jobseeker's payment for the duration of school holiday periods and return to the Part-Time Job Incentive scheme for the amount of time remaining of the one year entitlement period (52 weeks) on their claim when they resume work, provided all scheme conditions are satisfied.

A person who secures full-time employment does not qualify for PTJI and their claim will be closed.

Where a person returns to JA after losing their full-time employment, and subsequently secures another part-time employment, they may return to their original PTJI claim if they satisfy all the conditions for the payment. PTJI will remain in payment for the duration that has not been used previously.

Rates of Payment

Instead of their usual Jobseeker's Allowance payment, persons are entitled to a specified allowance per week, with a higher rate paid to those with a qualified adult. This payment is not affected by the earnings received from the part-time job.

A person without a qualified adult is entitled to the single rate allowance only, regardless of the number of qualified children they may have.

Rates of payment are detailed in the Current rates of payment for social welfare payments (SW19)

Under 25 Year Olds

For a person to qualify for PTJI, their rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance must be higher than the rate of PTJI that they are entitled to.

As the age related rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance applies to those under 25 years of age, they will not qualify for PTJI. However, if a person under 25 years of age is on the maximum rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance due to one of the categories deemed to be exempt from the under 25 age related rates, they may qualify for PTJI provided all the other conditions are satisfied.

Extra Benefits

The Christmas Bonus is payable with PTJI. As a person must be in receipt of Jobseeker’s Allowance for at least 312 days in order to qualify for PTJI, they will satisfy the requirement of having 312 days for the Christmas Bonus.

Child Support Payment and Fuel Allowance are not payable with the Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme.

Claims

Where a person satisfies the qualifying conditions for participation in the scheme, they should contact the Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office and complete an application form.

Where the conditions are satisfied and the claim is awarded, the PTJI 1 manual award letter is issued to the person detailing the rate of payment and PTJI arrangements.

Reviews

The relevant Jobseeker's Allowance claim is examined in conjunction with the details given on the application form to determine if the person is eligible for participation in the scheme.

The person is given a form PTJI 2 for completion by both themselves and their employer at the end of each four week period.

All PTJI claims are reviewed by the local Employment Support Services after nine months and the person will be engaged with regarding their employment/training/educational options after their PTJI claim has ended.

Decisions

Decisions regarding a persons entitlement to the Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme are decided by a Deciding Officer in the Intreo Centre/Social Welfare Branch Office.

Appeals

As the Part-Time Job Incentive scheme is a non-statutory scheme, there is no right of appeal to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. Any person who is dissatisfied with a decision may appeal to a higher officer at the Intreo Centre/Social Welfare Branch Office.

Payment

A person is required to sign a declaration form PTJI2 every 4 weeks to state that they work less than 24 hours each week and return it to the Intreo Centre/Social Welfare Branch Office. Payment is made weekly by EFT.

Maintenance

Intreo Centre/Social Welfare Branch office staff must ensure that the declaration form PTJI2 is received from the person every four weeks while participating in the scheme.

PTJI should be actively managed and the person should engage with Employment Services with the intention of supporting the person into full-time employment from their part-time employment on PTJI.

Ongoing Confirmation of Employment

A person is required to confirm their continued participation in the scheme. The form PTJI2 is also completed by the employer at the end of each four week period. The form must be returned to the Intreo Centre/Social Welfare Branch Office as evidence that the person is engaging in insurable employment for less than 24 hours a week. Where there is any delay in returning this form, payment is suspended until such time as the completed form is received.

Credits

Where a person has established an entitlement to credited contributions while in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance, credits may be awarded for the duration of participation in the Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme. Credits will only be awarded for each week in respect of which a class 'J' contribution is paid.