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Have you tapped into the hidden jobs market? Statistics show that the majority of jobs are not advertised. That’s worth repeating. All of the jobs advertised make up only a small proportion of total opportunities out there. A natural next question is, but why are these jobs not advertised? Well often companies already have a bank of potential candidates that have applied without advertisements. Another huge proportion of jobs are filled through employee referrals. This relates back to trust mentioned in an earlier article. Finally companies often directly target employees through LinkedIn or social media. Ok says you, I see your point but I’m not yet convinced to put in all that extra effort. Well then, let me bring out the big boys...There is a fundamental difference of character in this active approach of contacting companies rather than waiting for them to advertise positions. It’s all well and good including key character traits like proactive on your CV. It’s another thing entirely to demonstrate these traits from the get-go in your very first interaction with your potential new company. This sends a clear message to them that you are a proactive individual, ready and willing to take the reigns of your life. You’re not sitting back waiting for life to happen to you but instead going out there and making life happen.More importantly than how you’ll be perceived by employers is how you will change how you feel about yourself. Our self-image is built largely through our actions. If we build a habit of going to the gym regularly we begin to think of ourselves as ‘somebody who goes to the gym or a disciplined/healthy/fit/active person’. This perception has the potential to spread into other areas of our life and can have real impact on how we live in those other situations. By thinking for ourselves about our own values first, and then going out and finding a company or field that fits who we are, we are affirming our own inherent worth as an individual. This is a way for us to take back our power. It can be easy to feel like a small cog in a massive often multinational machine of a company. But the truth is each of us have valuable skills, character traits and strengths to offer. It’s time to reframe the inward dialogue and start seeing how lucky most companies would be to have us as part of their team. With that all in mind, how can we get a piece of that hidden jobs market pie?Put simply we need to let the companies know about us before they even know they need us. First we need to make the companies aware of us and then keep contact well before a job even arises. This might mean identifying the key person in your area of interest within the company. Send them an email telling them why you are interested in the company, how you think you are a good fit and most importantly, what you can contribute. Follow up with a phone call after two weeks to keep cultivating that relationship. This makes sure we’re in their bank of potential candidates when they start the recruitment process as soon as a position becomes available. Secondly, we should definitely make sure we are included in any of our friends&#x27; referrals. To make sure this happens, <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/article/making-an-ask-an-unconventional-approach-to-your-next-job" target="_blank">we need to make an ask</a>. Lastly, the onus is on us to have our LinkedIn profile tailored to the specific role or industry we want to pursue. It’s important to remember these are only some ways to go about it. I’m sure you have plenty of ideas of your own. I’d be happy to hear of the creative ways you figured out yourself to build a direct relationship with companies. You can find my email above.

The Hidden Jobs Market - An unconventional approach to your next job

Paddy O' Leary

Have you tapped the huge potential in telling as many people as possible that you know personally about your job search? This is especially worthwhile in such a small country like Ireland where if you don’t already know somebody in your desired industry or job, you probably know somebody who knows somebody. This might sound like the headbangers whose claim to fame is that their sister’s fourth cousin’s uncle is the president of Ireland. But hold your cynicism for a second. Any human connection is better than no connection. People like to work with, hire, do business with people they already know including people who the people they know, know! This is about trust. Those who can be even reasonably trusted get more doors opened for them and faster. But this won’t happen by itself. First we need to make an ask. In other words, let people know we&#x27;re on the lookout for opportunities so that they can open them for us. Or they can connect us with their friends who can.People love to help. It’s important we reframe this idea of asking for help. Think of it this way. By asking for help we are giving people the opportunity to help us. When we consider how much meaning, purpose, and how much of a kick we get out of helping others, why not give this same feeling to them by asking for a hand? Of course there’s a difference between making an ask and being a pain in the ass. As long as we show initiative and don’t expect others to do all of the heavy lifting for us, people are always happy to help.In order to make an ask we first need to have a general sense of what we are asking for. We don’t even need to be specific. For example, we don’t need to know that our former colleague has a sister who could get us an interview with a company we’d like to work for. How could we possibly know that information anyway? However we do need to have a strong sense of a general direction from our side. This direction might be knowing what role we’d like to work at, what industry we’d like to start in, the people or company we’d like to work for or even the location we’d like to be employed in. All we need is one general sense of our desire. After that it’s about naturally expressing this desire with as many people as you can. Not in the sense of complaining that we are not there yet. Nobody wants to listen to or help a moaning Michael. Instead with a sense of excitement about the possibility of your desire becoming a reality. That’s all we need to do. We often underestimate the power of speaking our desire. Perhaps no opportunities arise the first few times. But each time we speak our desire, we become clearer and clearer on what it is we want. On top of that, those we talk to can help us see different routes towards our goals we might never have considered. People are inherently helpful. When we affirm their good qualities and put things out there by making an ask, we can be surprised by how opportunities will seem to unfold out of nowhere.

Making an ask - An unconventional approach to your next job

This article is the second of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. “What do you do?” We’ve all heard and asked this question too many times than we’d like to remember. Some might say it’s a way to get a sense of who somebody is, what they’re about. It helps in continuing the conversation when we meet new people in the hopes that what they do is somehow fundamental to who they are. While our work can be the source of great meaning and purpose in our lives, we are not our job. We are not the amount of hours we clock in, the money we’re paid or even the things we get paid for. We as individuals and our lives are not defined by how we happen to make a living. A job also doesn’t need to provide us with all we want out of life. If we are to wait around until we find the perfect job that ticks all of our boxes, we might sooner end up in a box before we find what we’re looking for. We are not saying that a job isn’t important. Of course it is. But as most of us during this last year are beginning to realize, there is much more to life than what we get paid for. So instead of asking “what do you do?”, we might ask “what do you create?”. If you find yourself or the other person giving you a knee-jerk bullshit response, in some form of “I’m not creative”, it is your responsibility to rid them of this self-limiting belief immediately. Creating or being creative is not limited to the traditional art forms and whether you are a professional at it or not. Creativity is by definition, as wide and varied as you can imagine. Some people might create delicious homemade bread, others create a loving home for their family, others still might create comedy sketches. The point is we don’t all need to become ‘professional’ for us to experience the value in the act of creating. Of course, being paid a living for these passions can be a bonus, but monetary payment doesn’t need to be the standard from which we measure the value of creating itself. It&#x27;s important to remember the great satisfaction we can get out of other areas of our lives independent from our jobs. So if we let go of the idea that our job needs to tick all of the boxes, how else are we to decide which position is right for us? There are no universally correct answers to this question. This requires an honest look at the totality of our own current life which includes our relationships, our hobbies and passions, our health and our job. In this way we can assess which boxes are or can be ticked by different aspects of our lives. This then takes the pressure off on how much a job needs to provide for us to be satisfied. For example, perhaps we’re a football coach in our local town. This will probably provide us with plenty of meaning and social value. If we already get these benefits from a hobby like coaching, we may not need to get it from our job. Instead we can really narrow down on what is currently lacking in our lives and decide upon our next job by considering which one would best provide what we want. While at the same time letting go of the imaginary notion of a perfect job which allows us to get on with the less desirable aspects and focus on the positive ones. You might have got to the end of this article now without the sense of completion inside that usually comes from finding an answer or next course of action. It might be worth repeating, we&#x27;re not giving you any answers because we trust you can do that for yourself.

You are not your job - An unconventional approach to your next job

This article is the first of a series of four articles titled ‘An unconventional approach to your next job’ dropping each week for the rest of December. What if someone was to tell you that you’ve spent enough hours racking your brain over what your life long career should be. What if we were to tell you that life long careers are complete nonsense. A rare case. You’ve better odds of winning the Irish lotto than you do of finding and keeping the same job for your entire life. Unless you get lucky and die on your first job that is. This type of thinking is a couple of generations old. In fact it isn’t even yours, so why think it? This thinking belongs to your Grandparents who grew up in a different world where resources were scarce and manifestation slow. Things happen at a much faster rate these days, companies come and go, people outgrow their jobs, have different careers at different points in their lives or change industries multiple times. So the next logical question is, where does this leave us? Or more importantly, what are the alternatives? One alternative is to think instead in terms of life stages or phases. The benefits of thinking in terms of your next project, life stage or phase is that it breaks things down into nice, easily digestible chunks. Rather than asking yourself the question ‘What do I want to do with my life’, we instead ask something like ‘What would I like to do with the next couple years of my life’ Or ‘How do I envision my dream life going 3 years from now?’ or ‘What project would I like to take on for the next six months?’ Now that’s more digestible than a three in one on a Saturday after a well earned night on the town. Can you already sense how much better these questions feel when asked? Immediately the pressure is off. We’re not talking Mount Everest, we&#x27;re talking about a tough but doable hike up the Sugar Loaf. And who knows, maybe we can get enough Sugar Loaf’s under our belt, and Everest will be within our reach. This all sounds very reasonable, you might say. But what does it actually mean? It’s up to you to decide what that could mean. We’re not here to give you all the answers. Instead our aim is to provide new questions and perspectives you may not have considered yet so that you can breathe some fresh life into your job search. The bottom line is, if you are reading this in between jobs at the moment, then you have a massive opportunity on your hands. An opportunity to reinvent yourself for the next stage of your life in whatever way you like. You may be struggling financially but you are most definitely time rich. This resource that you have in abundance can be used to get clear about how you see your next life phase. Some people like journaling, others like talking to friends to brainstorm about ideas, others again prefer to think in nature. Your preferred tool is irrevelant, your objective is everything. What will I aim at for the next six months, one, three or five years. We all know how easy it is to get stuck in a boring habit of checking any and all jobs, while we slowly lower our standards as the time we’re between jobs lengthens. It’s for this very reason it’s so important to remember the gift of freedom we have to even consider these sort of questions. If you’ve gotten this far and have realized the opportunity that lies ahead of you, there’s only one question left, what are you going to do next?

Forget the question ‘What will I do with my life’

<h2>Further Education and Training (FET) courses </h2>FET offers a wide range of free courses for anyone over 16 who is looking to learn new skills or build upon their existing skills in order to find a job. The FET courses are provided through the Education and Training Board (ETB) network. Get started <a href="https://www.fetchcourses.ie/course/finder" target="_blank">here.</a><h2>eCollege by SOLAS </h2>SOLAS is the state agency for further education and training in Ireland, giving learners the opportunity to succeed in the workforce. Since March 2020, they have made their online training platform eCollege completely free. There is a wide range of training courses available. More information can be found <a href="https://www.ecollege.ie/" target="_blank">here.</a><h2>National Learning Network (NLN) </h2>The National Learning Network provides training and support to anyone struggling to find a job. Regardless of your circumstances, the National Learning Network can help you. Currently, NLN offers over 70 different training programmes, which include courses in computer and business skills. All courses provided by the NLN are free and you’re able to keep your benefits. A small lunch allowance is also given to students and you may be entitled to travel allowance. Visit the <a href="https://www.rehab.ie/national-learning-network/" target="_blank">NLN&#x27;s website</a> for all the details. <h2>Springboard+ Courses </h2>Springboard+ are currently offering 11,000+ free or subsidised places on courses. Upon completion of these courses, you will be awarded a certificate, undergraduate or postgraduate degree. The courses are co-funded by the Irish Government and the EU social fund, so take full advantage! More information can be found <a href="https://springboardcourses.ie/" target="_blank">here.</a><h2>Education and Training Boards (ETB’S) </h2>Further education and training courses are provided by ETB’s. As there is an education and training board for every county in Ireland, we recommend reaching out to your local training centre and see if they have any administrative training opportunities. ETB’s offer a wide range of traineeship programmes and specific skills training, with a number of courses being offered free of charge. More information can be found <a href="https://www.etbi.ie/" target="_blank">here. </a><h2>Skillnet Ireland </h2>Skillnet Ireland funds a number of upskilling courses for unemployed people in Ireland, helping job seekers acquire the necessary skills to join the workforce. Learn more on their <a href="https://www.skillnetireland.ie/about/developing-your-skills/developing-irelands-future-workforce/" target="_blank">website.</a><h2>Intreo - for jobseekers </h2>If you’re currently receiving jobseeker&#x27;s payment, there are a number of short term courses that you’ll qualify for which are provided by Intreo. <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/directory/category/e1f4b5-intreo-offices/?referrer=https://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/List-of-Social-Welfare-Local-and-Branch-Offices-by-County.aspx" target="_blank">Get in touch with your local branch today.</a><h2>Local employment centres/Job clubs </h2>Research and discover what local employment services or job clubs are located in your area as they may have training opportunities available. Many job clubs are active on social media so try searching for them on Facebook or Twitter to see what they have to offer. Best of luck on your career journey!

Free training courses to build your professional skills

<h2>As the first round of this year&#x27;s CAO college offers to students are issued online today, we look at the next steps with a simple Q &amp; A</h2> What do I do after I receive an offer?If you’re happy, you should accept this offer online before the closing date specified. Make sure to check that the information contained in the Offer Notification is correct and inform CAO of any incorrect or omitted information as soon as possible.You may be given an offer off both your Level 8 and Level 7/6 list on one offer round but you must choose between them and only accept one offer. What happens after I accept an offer?You will receive an email from the CAO and the college will then contact you about registration. Whether you accept your offer or not, it will not prevent you from receiving an offer on a course that’s higher up your CAO list, if you are deemed eligible in a later round. The advice from the CAO is to treat your current offer as if it’s the only offer you might receive. However, it&#x27;s important to remember when you do this, you will no longer have access to courses lower down on your list. Be careful not to miss the deadline for accepting the offer, as it will be offered to someone else if you don’t accept it. The acceptance date for Round One is Wednesday, September 16, at 3pm.After you accept the offer online you will receive an acknowledgement e-mail and you can check that your acceptance has been recorded online at www.cao.ie Can I apply to defer my offer?There&#x27;s been a lot of speculation that some students may consider deferring, due to the current situation with Covid-19 restrictions. You can request to defer your place by contacting the admissions office of the college in writing or by e-mail. You must give your name as it appears on your CAO application, quote your CAO application number and the course code of the offer you wish to defer, you should also outline your reasons for requesting to defer. In the subject line type DEFERRED ENTRY or write this clearly on the envelope if writing to the college. You will need to do this immediately, don&#x27;t accept your offer yet if you wish to defer. The college will communicate their decision to you. If it’s not granted you may still accept the offer for the current year provided you record the acceptance on line by the reply date.What happens if I am not happy with the offer I received and don&#x27;t wish to accept it?If you don’t won’t to accept the course you have been offered, you don&#x27;t need to do anything. Your name will remain on the waiting list for any courses higher up in your preferences.What should else should I prepare for after I accept my offer?The next challenge will be to figure out how you will commute to your college and if you need accommodation you will need to start looking at the options. A lot of colleges have decided to present courses on line this year or at least some modules on line, but further clarity will be required for each course. Check out the College website as I&#x27;m sure they will upload further information. What happens if I do not receive an offer?This can be really disappointing, but it’s still possible that you may get an offer in the next rounds. The CAO also release and continuously update the &#x27;Available Places&#x27; list for unfilled places on courses, so you can check this out on the CAO website.You could also consider doing Post-Leaving Cert (PLC) course, many of which can help you to enter college next year. I did not get an offer, and I am not happy with my Leaving Cert calculated grades, what should I do?Appeals for Leaving Cert calculated grades open on Monday, September 14. You will be able to begin an appeal via the Calculated Grades Student Portal from 9am. At this stage you will also gain access to the estimated grades determined by your school. From this, you will be able to fairly assess if you were downgraded, or upgraded, during the process. It is important to point out that you will not have access to your individual class ranking, the Department of Education have decided not to disclose this information.If there’s a major discrepancy between the grade your school estimated for you and the calculated grade you received, you should consider an appeal. The appeals process is strictly confined to checking if your information was inputted, transferred across, processed, and downloaded correctly. It will not cover how your school determined your estimated marks. Appeals will be accepted until September 16th. What happens if my appeal is successful and I get higher points?The Department of Education is aiming to have the checks done within the normal timeframe for appeals. If your appeal is successful and you may receive an upgraded offer in later rounds. There’s nothing guaranteed at this stage as it will depend on a number of factors, such as the number of appeals received, the courses being applied, the number of people who defer etc. What can I do if I am unhappy with the outcome of my appeal?You can seek a review by the Independent Appeal Scrutineers. Again, this will be confined to checking that information was processed correctly. Students who are successful here will receive a deferred offer to start their course next year. Students also can sit the exams when they are held, which are now planned in November. However, students who sit these exams will not be able to apply to the CAO until next year. You will also have recourse to the Office of the Ombudsman, or the Office of the Ombudsman for Children, if you are under 18.  More information on the CAO system and contact details can be found <a href="http://www.cao.ie/" target="_blank">HERE</a>

CAO Offers - Simple Q & A

Notice for 3rd Level Students:A number of weeks ago, the Government provided €15 million to purchase laptops and ipads to help with remote learning and to bridge the digital divide.The Department of Higher Education has ordered almost 17,000 Dell laptops which will now be distributed across our universities, our Institutes of Technology, our ETB’s and a number of Solas funded colleges also.Anyone who needs a laptop and feels they fall into the criteria of disadvantaged student should apply to their college to the Student Services office and they will process your application.

Students to get laptops as part of €168m Covid-19 college fund

COVID-19 Income Supports Employer &amp; Employee Guidance Answers to Frequently Asked Questions Updated 01.04.2020Table of ContentsSection 01OverviewSection 02Illness/Self-IsolationSection 03Temporary Lay-off/UnemploymentSection 04Frequently Asked QuestionsOverviewThe Government announced a number of new measures to provide financial support to workers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. As part of these measures, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is administering a number of emergency income support payments. These schemes/payments enable employees, whose employers are affected by the pandemic, to receive significant supports during the period of the pandemic.This document provides employers and employees with additional information on the operation of these temporary supports. It also presents a number of detailed Q&amp;A and scenarios to assist employees, self-employed and employers at this challenging time.It should be read in conjunction with the individual scheme information available on our website at gov.ie/deasp.This information may be updated, and any updates will be published on our dedicated COVID-19 website at gov.ie/deaspcovid19.In considering how to respond to questions employers and employees are directed in the first instance to the public health advice issued by the HSE, available on their website www.hse.ie. It is essential that all individuals and employers abide by this advice  Frequently asked questions on the Pandemic Unemployment Payment/Illness PaymentsQuestions Answered:<ul><li>What is the best way to apply for a COVID-19 unemployment or illness payment?</li><li>How do I know if I am eligible for the COVID-19 unemployment payment?</li><li>What do I do if I have already claimed the payment but am not eligible?</li><li>I made a claim for the COVID-19 payment but have received nothing. What should I do?</li><li>I am an Irish resident worker, but I use an overseas or international bank account. How can I get a payment?</li><li>I am a worker who has been asked by my employer to stay at home, but she/he is still paying me some or all of my wages. What should I do?</li><li>I am a worker who has been asked by my employer to stay at home, but she/he cannot pay me anything. What can I claim?</li><li>I am a self-employed worker whose trade has ceased or fallen away.</li><li>I claimed a COVID-19 jobseeker payment but now my employer is paying me. What should I do?</li><li>I am a worker who was also in receipt of a social welfare payment while at work. What is my position?</li><li>I am a worker who works on one side of the border with Northern Ireland but lives on the other. What are my rights?</li><li>I am a worker aged over 66 who has lost my employment income am I entitled to a payment?</li><li>I am in employment and am concerned I might catch the virus from colleagues. Can I leave work and claim the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment?</li><li>Part-time/casual jobseekers who lose their employment – do they qualify for the €350 Pandemic Unemployment Payment?</li><li>How will employees’ PRSI contributions be affected if employer avails of the temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme or a worker claims the COVID-19 emergency payment?</li><li>How does the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment/COVID Wage Subsidy Scheme impact Maternity/Paternity/Adoptive leave?</li><li>I am a person who is required to ‘cocoon’. How can I collect my social welfare payment?</li><li>I am a worker who needs to self-isolate or who is ill with COVID-19. What should I do?</li><li>I am not an employee or self-employed worker but I do receive a social welfare payment. What should I do?</li><li>What happens when I finish my period of self-isolation or when my illness clears up?</li></ul><a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.gov.ie%2F72299%2F8548595821b442bfb16c50bd01ea7588.pdf%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR0IKiG7ZKAcVOyOs6B4ZC1MQutGBGcNoT_IrJRCfdszC89HitS3ie6Y53E&amp;h=AT3woRoaTkd0rf3vWgEhfwJX-SoQpaC5hEe5H7wnymWO78XH7wXFPonJAlQlwTiZAKdyNYcVQ68yR-BsNHON00xMpH5sI3SKdRfDO63eMLdG94rBuHoZcsRU7MZ25Buxhhm70QaGBBVciT7uUSn1fAwHyQoPj6kepaPk1OhTCC6gARzllS3546pwkheIN7HsBN-kojgSsjHP1i_TaAscbA6E60tLCfu_kwELbXaESDtlRvE41iH_PgjT6Yu-BjaMo_qA6Psd8W_o4jqRcgn9BbHEGvbOhu5ekUOeMmbO4M2O1gkMOMaK1qKB521uyy5wW7vv1c3IrcYYnaSqSULG8GcYxC5ZYfc8K9r_FBBR8WNjdrAUmW05S788qxoPJWdPJ9vDRR9k_kzOC_4zB_zrmKv90tKJCGBq-4Dmk4JMN1H2Cg5jETxNjgH1QAww9MvJ4TQ5mEzTrs1zgkHxNpTgn58wr282t9QzMLzZPD-pUCaopsxphD1Q5fXqVDQoUZfATqS0dXbhmEprudldyycmxGVYXSh51upv7UnVozQthyqes2EnnA90mT6dm3u4-h9Ij_RH9wRI95D_USroejg1zKrCAfFF9OjE8wwNNob_rsmYe7uKy5Eb4H7qMlucclTuB3VyGAg" target="_blank">Download the complete question and answer document here.</a>Also - if you need more information on the Wage Subsidy Scheme, the Revenue have released a question and answer document too.<a href="https://www.revenue.ie/en/employing-people/documents/pmod-topics/guidance-on-operation-of-temporary-covid-wage-subsidy-scheme.pdf" target="_blank"> Click here to download. </a>For any further queries - The Covid_19 Income Support Phone-Line is open from 9am to 5pm: 01-248-1398 / 1890-800-024. Take care.

UPDATED: COVID-19 Income Supports - Frequently Asked Questions

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<h1></h1><h2>Important Information Notice</h2>Published: 26 March 2020From: Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection<h2>Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme</h2>The <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/" target="_blank">Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme</a> is a new scheme introduced to help employers retain workers on their payrolls during a period of reduced trading or temporary lay-off related to the Covid-19 pandemic. This new subsidy will cover 70% the net salary of workers, up to a maximum of €410 per week. Many employers will ‘top-up’ this salary to pay their workers as close as possible to their normal full wage. If you are self-employed you should apply for the <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/" target="_blank">COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. </a>Is the scheme open to directors?If directors are paid through the payroll system and are included in the relevant payroll submissions for an eligible employer, then they are eligible to receive the wage subsidy.For more information and to apply for the <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/" target="_blank">Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme</a> <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/" target="_blank">click here.</a><h2>COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</h2>The <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/" target="_blank">Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment </a>is an emergency payment of €350 per week introduced by the Government for a 12 week period and intended to compensate those workers whose employers cannot retain them on their payroll. The payment will also be made to people who are self-employed but whose trade has temporarily ceased.Do not claim the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if your employer has not laid you off or if you were not previously in employment or if you are still in receipt of employment income, or if your employer takes you back onto their payroll.If you think you inadvertently applied for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, or if your employer has re-employed you under the new Temporary Wage Subsidy Scheme, you must close your Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment claim now. Claims can be closed via the Department’s online portal at <a href="https://www.mywelfare.ie/" target="_blank">MyWelfare.ie</a> under the Covid-19 payment section.You are eligible to apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if…<ul><li>You were in employment or self-employment immediately before Friday 13 March</li></ul>and<ul><li>You have been temporarily laid-off from work or asked to stay at home from work</li></ul>and<ul><li>Your employer is not in a position to retain you on their payroll</li></ul>and<ul><li>You are not in receipt of any employment income.</li></ul>You are not eligible to apply for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment if…<ul><li>You were not in employment immediately before Friday 13 March</li></ul>or<ul><li>You were not laid-off from work by your employer</li></ul>or<ul><li>You are continuing to receive income from your employment</li></ul>or<ul><li>You voluntarily left your employment.</li></ul>The payment also applies to:<ul><li>non EU/EEA workers who have lost employment due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic</li><li>students (and non-EU/EEA students) who have lost employment due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic</li><li>part-time workers</li></ul>The Department will review all claims. It is engaging with Revenue Commissioners to identify those workers not eligible to avail of the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and will take steps to recover any incorrect payment. Any person who knowingly claims the payment in circumstances where they are not entitled to the payment will be prosecuted.The co-operation of the public in ensuring that only correct claims are submitted is greatly appreciated. This ensures that we can process claims for people who really need the support as quickly as possible.For more information and to apply for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/" target="_blank">click here.</a>Payment Update for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Jobseeker ClaimsPublished: 26 March 2020From: Department of Employment Affairs and Social ProtectionThe Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has experienced unprecedented demand for income supports including the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and Jobseeker payments since 13 March.The level of demand equates to 10 months normal claim-load in just 10 working days.The department wishes to assure its customers that it is processing these claims as fast as possible and that staff have been working long hours, over weekends and the bank holiday to ensure that claims are processed as quickly as possible.The first COVID-19 related payments, for approximately 90% of claims received from 13 – 19 March were issued last Friday, 20 March and were in customer’s bank accounts on Tuesday, 24 March.Some payments did not go forward for various reasons. This is normal. For example some claims may not have met eligibility criteria. Other payments may have been held back due to an error with an IBAN number or an inconsistency between PPSNs. The department is working very hard to resolve these issues and is contacting the customers concerned directly.Again this week nearly all claims received since 19 March and up to close of business today (Thursday 26 March) will be processed for payment tomorrow, Friday and will be in customer&#x27;s bank accounts on Tuesday 31 March.The department is processing payments into Irish bank accounts and via the Post Office network only. We wish to reassure people that where they are entitled they will receive a payment from the department as soon as possible. Should there be any issues with individual payments the department will contact the claimants directly.<h2>COVID-19 Enhanced Illness Benefit</h2>If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or are medically certified to self-isolate as a result of COVID-19, you can apply for <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/" target="_blank">Illness Benefit for COVID-19</a> absences which is higher than the standard rate. <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/" target="_blank">You can apply for this whether you are an employee or if you are self-employed.</a>If you are a worker affected by COVID-19 (Coronavirus) there are various payments that you can claim from the department.As well as this, you do not need to sign on or attend back to work courses for as long as the Coronavirus pandemic lasts. Weekly dockets must still be signed, however.<h2>Helpful Information</h2><ul><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/6f81e1-people-who-are-diagnosed-with-covid-19/" target="_blank">What to do if you are diagnosed with COVID-19</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/b8135c-people-who-are-not-diagnosed-with-covid-19-but-who-self-isolate/" target="_blank">What to do if you are not diagnosed with COVID-19 but have been told by a doctor to self-isolate</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/00964f-people-who-are-laid-off-temporarily-or-put-on-to-short-time-working/" target="_blank">What to do if you are laid off temporarily or put on to short-time working</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a75c73-what-to-do-if-you-are-a-student-who-has-lost-your-job-because-of-cor/" target="_blank">What to do if you are a student who has lost your job because of Coronavirus</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/5cc237-what-to-do-if-youre-a-casual-worker-on-xs-and-os-during-coronavirus/" target="_blank">What to do if you&#x27;re a casual worker on Xs and Os during Coronavirus</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/9c3318-what-to-do-if-you-are-receiving-your-social-welfare-payment-into-the/" target="_blank">What to do if you are receiving your social welfare payment into the Post Office</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/8ace3a-change-amend-your-bank-details/" target="_blank">How to get a social welfare payment into your bank</a></li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/8102d2-new-social-welfare-payment-details/" target="_blank">Temporary Social Welfare payment arrangement</a></li></ul>

Important updates on Emergency Payment, Wage Subsidy Scheme & Payment Dates

Published: 26 March 2020From: Department of Education and SkillsGovernment has today (Thursday 26 March 2020) issued schools with updated guidance to help them operate the School Meals Programme amid the extended COVID-19 restrictions.This will ensure that nutritious food gets to many thousands of young people who need it the most.All schools are closed until 19 April at the earliest as part of further restrictions to limit the spread of infection.The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs devised updated guidelines for the 1,580 schools and organisations in the programme as they set out to source and supply meals during the extended closures.Schools are allowed to maintain the service during the Easter holidays and are asked to consider providing weekly boxes of non-perishable, nutritious goods.Tusla Education Support Service will communicate with all Home School Community Liaison Coordinators and School Completion Programmes and ask staff in those services to liaise with principals where they work to ensure that children/families in need of the School Meals Programme are identified and supported.Schools have also been advised that if their current provider is unavailable to continue the service they can look at other options, such as a local charity in the community providing food or meals or sourcing supplies from an alternative provider or retailer.COVID-19: Get all of the latest updates for Employees and Employers <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/covid-19-all-the-latest-updates-for-employees-and-employers" target="_blank">here.</a>

Schools to provide weekly boxes of nutritious food for 250,000 pupils

The government has today announced a National COVID-19 Income Support Scheme.This will provide financial support to Irish workers and companies affected by the crisis.In summary:<ul><li>a <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/" target="_blank">temporary wage subsidy of 70%</a><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/578596-covid-19-wage-subsidy/" target="_blank"> (More info and apply here from the 26th of March 2020) </a>of take home pay up to a maximum weekly tax free amount of €410 per week to help affected companies keep paying their employees. This is the equivalent of €500 per week before tax</li><li>workers who have lost their jobs due to the crisis will receive an enhanced emergency <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/" target="_blank">COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</a> of €350 per week (an increase from €203)</li><li><a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/" target="_blank">the COVID-19 illness payment </a>will also be increased to €350 per week</li><li>the self-employed will be eligible for the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment of €350 directly from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection (rather than the Revenue scheme)</li><li>enhanced protections for people facing difficulties with their mortgages, rent or utility bills</li></ul>It follows from a range of supports already in place to help business through the crisis.The government is taking these extraordinary measures to help ordinary Irish citizens and families during this period of great economic and social stress.These measures will be costly – with an initial estimated cost of €3.7 billion over a twelve week period.The government believes these costs are necessary to ensure social solidarity with workers and their families affected by the crisis.<h2>Income Support Scheme</h2>An eligible employer will be supported up to 70% of an employee’s take home income up to a maximum weekly tax free payment of €410 (that is, 70% of take home weekly income of €38,000 per anuum).The scheme will provide support on incomes up to €76,000 or twice average earnings. It will be capped at net €350 for incomes between €38,000 and €76,000.The employer is expected to make best efforts to maintain as close to 100% of normal income as possible for the subsidised period.Revenue will provide further guidance on operation of the scheme.There will be severe penalties for any abuse of the scheme.<h2>Eligibility for the Income Support Scheme</h2>Employers must self-declare to Revenue that they have experienced significant negative economic disruption due to COVID-19, with a minimum of 25% decline in turnover, and an inability to pay normal wages and other outgoings, in accordance with guidance to be issued by Revenue.This scheme is open to impacted employers in all sectors. This recognises the impact that COVID-19 is having across all parts of the economy.The employee must have been on the payroll in February 2020.<h2>Self-employed workers</h2>Self-employed who qualify will be paid the <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/" target="_blank">COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</a> of €350 rather than through the Revenue scheme. They will be eligible on a similar basis as the Revenue scheme for employees.<h2>How to apply</h2>Revenue and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will provide details to employers today on how to apply.<h2>Eligibility for COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</h2>People who have already been approved for the<a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/be74d3-covid-19-pandemic-unemployment-payment/" target="_blank"> COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment</a> will now get an increased payment of €350 per week (instead of €203) at their next payment date. Anyone else who loses their job due to the COVID-19 crisis can apply to the department for payment at the new rate.The COVID-19 illness payment will also be increased to €350 per week.Further details are available from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection.<h2>Duration of the Income Support Scheme</h2>The new Scheme will be in place for twelve weeks.<h2>Cost of the schemes</h2>It is estimated that these new measures will cost approximately €3.7 billion over the 12 week period.<h2>Exchequer affordability</h2>The full economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis is subject to considerable uncertainty but will clearly have a very significant negative impact on the Exchequer.However, these measures are necessary to provide support to workers, their families, and companies at a time of great economic and social stress.The State will be able to fund these measures, but it will generate additional debt which will need to be paid off in the future.Ireland is well placed to increase its borrowing activity in the coming years. This additional borrowing will take place against a backdrop of a strong improvement in Ireland’s debt position in recent years, which has been reflected in a solid trend of lower borrowing costs, strong demand for Irish sovereign debt among international investors over a protracted period and ratings upgrades by each of the major credit rating agencies.Our strategy in recent years of prefunding liabilities means we have already built up strong cash balances. At the end of February, we had €26 billion in cash effectively funding this year’s €19 billion of redemptions.<h2>Measures in place for renters</h2>The government is introducing legislation to prevent both the termination of residential tenancies and any rent increases for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.The banks have also said they will support buy-to-let bank customers with tenants affected by COVID-19 with an opportunity to seek a payment break of up to 3 months – so they can in turn offer forbearance to their tenants.Rent Supplement is also available as a short-term income support to those in the private rented sector who are experiencing difficulty paying their rent. In view of the difficulties created for many in the private rented sector who have lost significant employment income, the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection will use the full flexibility of the scheme to provide the necessary support.<h2>Measures in place for mortgage holders</h2>A series of measures to support people impacted by COVID-19 have been announced by the banking sector.These include:<ul><li>flexible arrangements, including a payment break for mortgages and other loans. Customers affected by COVID-19 must contact their bank to discuss the flexibility available to them, including the possibility of a payment break of up to 3 months. Non-bank mortgage lenders and credit servicing firms have also announced their support for this measure</li><li>support for buy-to-let bank customers with tenants affected by COVID-19 – customers with rental property in which the tenants are adversely impacted by COVID-19 will also be provided with flexibility including with an opportunity to seek a payment break of up to 3 months, which will allow them to exercise due levels of forbearance to their tenants</li><li>payment breaks as a result of COVID-19 will not affect credit records</li></ul><h2>Measures in place for people struggling with utility bills</h2>The Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has issued a moratorium on disconnections of domestic customers for non-payment to the gas and electricity suppliers.The suppliers have arrangements in place for any domestic/residential customers in arrears which are overseen by CRU and have a number of emergency provisions to assist Pay As You Go customers.<h2>Supports for business</h2>In addition to the Scheme being announced today, the government has already announced a range of measures including:(i) financial supports, including a €200 million Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland Working Capital scheme; a €200 million Rescue and Restructuring Scheme available through Enterprise Ireland for vulnerable but viable firms; the maximum loan available from Microfinance Ireland has been increased from €25,000 to €50,000 (these loans are now interest free with no repayments for 6 months); Local Enterprise Offices in every county will be providing vouchers from €2,500 up to €10,000; a Finance in Focus grant of €7,200 will be available to Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta clients.(ii) other supports including a First Responder support service through the Intreo Offices and development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in each region to provide tailored supports for affected businesses; the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Short Term Work Support Scheme.(iii) deferral of Business Rates: the government has agreed with local authorities that they should defer rates payments due from the most immediately affected businesses, primarily in the retail, hospitality, leisure and childcare sectors, until the end of May.(iv) Taxation Measures to alleviate short-term difficulties: Revenue has also posted specific advice for businesses experiencing trading difficulties as a result of COVID-19 including information on tax returns, the application of late payment interest, debt enforcement, tax clearance and customs.These are the highlights:<ul><li>interest on late payments is suspended for January/February VAT and both February and March PAYE (Employers) liabilities</li><li>all debt enforcement activity is suspended until further notice</li><li>current tax clearance status will remain in place for all businesses over the coming months</li><li>the Relevant Contract Tax (RCT) rate review scheduled to take place this month (March) is suspended</li><li>critical pharmaceutical products and medicines will be given a Customs ‘green routing’ to facilitate uninterrupted importation and supply</li></ul>(v) Banking and Credit Measures: All the banks have announced that they will offer flexibility to their customers, and they may be able to provide payment holidays or emergency working capital facilities.The main non-bank lenders also confirmed their intention to also support the range of measures announced by the country’s main retail banks which is to be welcomed.A deferral of up to 3-months on loan repayments will be available to many businesses. In addition, the banks are adopting a customer-focussed approach to these businesses with a wide variety of tailored supports including extensions of credit lines, risk guarantees, and trade finance. These supports complement the range of government supports available through the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland.The Central bank has confirmed that it will allow banks to dip into their rainy-day capital reserves to keep lending flowing. It is anticipated that this move could free up considerable additional credit for households and businesses.A small but important change for many businesses is the limit for contactless credit card payments has been raised from €30 to €50.COVID-19: Get all of the latest updates for Employees and Employers <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/covid-19-all-the-latest-updates-for-employees-and-employers" target="_blank">here.</a>

Govt announces National Covid-19 Income Support Scheme

Independent.ie have announced that the Coronavirus Unemployment Payment is set to rise to €350 per week and that the Government are to pay 70pc of retained workers&#x27; salaries.This news if officially confirmed later today will ease the pain for a lot of affected workers and business owners across the country.They also mention that in a significant new move the Government will also pay 70pc of employee wages up to €410 per week for businesses who are willing to meet the remainder of their staff’s weekly payment.MORE TO FOLLOW........

COVID-19 Payment set to rise to €350 and Gov to pay 70% of salaries

Minister for Education Joe McHugh has confirmed that schools will not be reopening in the short term.He announced on GalwayBay FM that schools will not be opening on Monday and that more information is expected to be confirmed today or tomorrow regarding extensions of school closures.Regarding state exams, the minister said that he and his department &quot;really want to make those exams happen&quot;.He said they owed it to young people to &quot;see this through and try to have the exams this year&quot;.

Schools will not Re-Open on Monday

Lots of people are asking;What should they do if their place of employment is still open and they have Covid-19 Symptoms?What payment will they receive if they are layed off work or lose their job permanently and how &amp; where do they apply?<h2>ANSWERS;</h2>DO NOT GO TO WORK IF YOU HAVE COVID-19 SYMPTOMSIf you have Covid-19 symptoms you should not attend work, contact your GP and self-isolate for 14 days. Be aware of the symptoms, they include;• a cough - this can be any kind of cough, not just dry• shortness of breath• breathing difficulties• fever (high temperature - 38 degrees Celsius or above) or chillsOther symptoms are fatigue, headaches, sore throat, aches and pains. If you develop symptoms you will need to self-isolate and phone your GP. Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital. The GP will assess you over the phone. If they think you need to be tested for coronavirus, they will arrange a test. You can apply for Illness Benefit for COVID-19 absences. The personal rate for this payment is €305, as compared with the normal Illness Benefit rate of €203.It will be paid for a maximum of 2 weeks where a person is self-isolating, but will be paid for the duration of a person&#x27;s absence from work if they have been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We must stress that you cannot visit your doctor. You must contact them by phone. (Source; HSE.ie)Full details and more information available here; <a href="https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/" target="_blank">https://www.gov.ie/en/service/df55ae-how-to-apply-for-illness-benefit-for-covid-19-absences/</a> BUSINESS TEMPORARY CLOSURESIf your place of work has closed for business due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and your employer cannot pay you, you can apply for an emergency COVID-19 Unemployment Payment?The payment is available to all employees and the self-employed Full and Part-Time who have lost employment due to the pandemic. It is also available for Students who were working and lost pay.You will get a payment of €350 per week for up to 6 weeks (as applicable). Minister Regina Doherty has confirmed that they are currently working on revising this payment scheme, so more information will also be available in the coming days.MORE DETAILS &amp; TO APPLY GO HERE; <a href="https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/other-info-pages/covid-19/" target="_blank">https://services.mywelfare.ie/en/other-info-pages/covid-19/</a> PERMANENT BUSINESS CLOSURES &amp; PERMANENT UMEMPLOYMENTIf you are unemployed, as in your company has closed for good or your position has ceased to exist, you will need to apply for and be assessed for Jobseeker’s payment supports. It may also be possible to apply for the Emergency COVID-19 Unemployment Payment in the interim and we recommend you also apply for Unemployment Benefit as soon as possible. You  can apply for a Jobseeker&#x27;s Allowance/Benefit on <a href="www.MyWelfare.ie" target="_blank">www.MyWelfare.ie</a>There&#x27;s also a wealth of information being constantly updated <a href="https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/health/covid19_overview.html" target="_blank">HERE</a> on issues such as;<ul><li>Health Information</li><li>Employment and income supports</li><li>Mortgage, loans and rent</li><li>Housing</li><li>Utilities</li><li>Education</li><li>Travel</li><li>Older people</li></ul>STAY SAFE! COVID-19: Get all of the latest updates for Employees and Employers <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/covid-19-all-the-latest-updates-for-employees-and-employers" target="_blank">here.</a>

QUESTIONS RE; SICK LEAVE, TEMP & PERMANENT LAY OFF?

The Irish Government will introduce a significant financial package next week for those who have lost their jobs due to coronavirus-related disruption and others at risk of becoming unemployed, Deputy Prime Minister Simon Coveney said on (today) Sunday 22nd March.Other European countries like Britain and Denmark have moved to pay up to 80% of the wages of staff who have either lost or are at risk of losing income as a result of the pandemic&quot;.&quot;I want to reassure people that the government are going to introduce a significant and supportive economic package in the coming days that will go well beyond what we have announced to date,&quot; Coveney told national broadcaster RTE. &quot;That will treat everybody equally, so in other words we are not going to separate the people who have lost their jobs to date from the people who may lose their jobs next week.We want to do something that provides, if you like, a guaranteed level of income for everybody across the country.&quot;Ireland has so far introduced an emergency 203 euros a week payment for employees and self-employed people who have lost their jobs or had hours cut and the government has said it will refund the same amount to struggling firms who keep staff on. It said 58,000 people had already claimed the payment by Wednesday, just three days after its introduction following the closure of schools, childcare facilities and pubs.A huge number of restaurants and retailers followed suit voluntarily.Ireland is planning to ramp up coronavirus testing to cut a waiting list that stands at 40,000, over three times the number tested this week alone, Health Service Executive (HSE) operations chief Anne O&#x27;Connor told a news conference.With 41 test centres due to be in operation from Tuesday, including a naval ship anchored in Dublin&#x27;s River Liffey, the HSE plans to conduct 4,500 tests a day from Monday. It is distributing 40,000 test kits around the country and is close to finalising an order from China for 100,000 more.HSE chief executive Paul Reid added that the 50,000 people from all manner of professions who answered a recruitment call issued last week included 5,000 nurses and 1,000 doctors.&quot;This week is a huge week in the history of the healthcare system in Ireland,&quot; Reid said. &quot;We can save lives by our actions this week.COVID-19: Get all of the latest updates for Employees and Employers <a href="https://www.jobalert.ie/blog/covid-19-all-the-latest-updates-for-employees-and-employers" target="_blank">here.</a>