COVID-19 Supports for Employees

ILLNESS BENEFIT

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

• An employee or self-employed person who has been told to  self-isolate by a doctor or the HSE.
• An employee or self-employed person who has been  diagnosed with COVID-19 by a doctor.
• The employee must be absent from work and confined to  their home or a medical facility.

PAYMENT AMOUNT / FEATURES:

€350 per week as follows:

• for a maximum of 2 weeks where a person is self-isolating; and
• up to a maximum of 10 weeks if a person has been diagnosed with COVID-19. (If a person has been certified for less than 10 weeks, they will be paid for the duration of their certificate.)

The usual 6 day waiting period before an employee can receive illness  benefit does not apply.

The payment of an enhanced rate of Illness Benefit to people affected by COVID-19 will apply until 10 August.

COVID-19 PANDEMIC  UNEMPLOYMENT  PAYMENT (“PUP”)

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

You can apply for the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment  Payment if you:

• are aged between 18 and 66 years old, and
• live in the Republic of Ireland, and
• have lost your job due to the COVID-19 pandemic, or
• are self-employed and have ceased trading due to the  pandemic.

If you are an employee and:

• have lost your job;
• have been temporarily laid off;
• have been asked to stay at home; and
• are not getting any money from an employer.

The payment also applies to:

• non EU/EEA workers who have lost employment due to the  COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic;
• students (and non-EU/EEA students) who have lost  employment due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic;  and
• part-time workers

PAYMENT AMOUNT / FEATURES:

Flat rate of €350 per week applies up to 29 June 2020.

The Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Regina Doherty, has announced the extension of the COVID-PUP until 10 August. However, a two level payment structure will link the COVID-PUP level to prior earnings from 29 June:

1. For those whose prior employment earnings were €200 per week or higher (about 75% of recipients), the COVID-PUP rate will remain at €350 per week.
2. For those whose prior employment earnings were up to €199.99 per week (about 25% of recipients), the COVID-PUP rate will be €203 per week - the primary rate of payment of the Jobseeker’s Benefit scheme.

Minister Doherty also announced the extension of the waiver of waiting days on jobseeker's payments and the increased rate of payment for Qualified Adults on jobseeker claims and the current arrangements with respect to the waiver of waiting days also until 10 August.

SHORT TIME WORK  SUPPORT

• An income support  payment for employees who have  been temporarily  placed on a shorter working week.
• The payment is made  in respect of employees’ regular  salary for the days that  they are no longer  working.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:

To qualify for Short Time Work Support, employees must be:

• temporarily working a standard reduced weekly work pattern;
• working 3 days or less per week having previously worked full-  time;
• be under 66 years of age;
• be capable of work and be available for full-time work; and
• have enough paid or credited social insurance (PRSI)  contributions at class A, H, S or P.

PAYMENT AMOUNT / FEATURES:

The rate of payment will depend on an employee’s average weekly

earnings in the governing contribution year and the change in the  employee's work pattern.

For example, if an employee is placed on a 3 day work pattern having  previously worked 5 days, the employee may be entitled to up €81.20 for  the 2 days he/she is no longer working. (This represents two fifths of the  current maximum weekly rate of Jobseeker's Benefit of €203.)

Employees may also get an increased rate of payment for a qualified adult  and for qualified children.

Short Time Work Support is not taxable.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that the content of this summary does not amount to professional advice. Legal and tax advice should be sought in respect of specific queries. The COVID-19 situation is evolving rapidly and this update is provided on the basis of information available as at 8 June 2020.