C
[/QUOTE]quote=davidoco;348830]Maternity benefit is calculated on your last full year working so you should be entitled to it irrespective of your employment situation later in the year. The rules are very relaxed when it comes to granting maternity benefit.
To qualify for Maternity Benefit, you must satisfy one of the following PRSI contribution conditions. You must have:
at least paid 39 PRSI* contributions in the 12-month period before the first day of your maternity leave,
or
at least 39 paid PRSI* contributions since first starting work and at least 39 paid or credited PRSI* contributions in the relevant tax year, or in the year following the relevant tax year,
or
at least 26 paid PRSI* contributions in the relevant tax year and at least 26 paid PRSI* contributions in the tax year before the relevant tax year.
The relevant tax year is the second last complete tax year before the benefit year, in which your maternity leave starts. The benefit year begins each year on the first Monday in January and ends on the Sunday immediately before the first Monday in January the following year.
http://www.welfare.ie/publications/sw11.html
While your entitlement to maternity benefit is calculated on PRSI contributions, the maternity benefit is calculated as a percentage of your current wages. As such, if you aren't employed, then you aren't entitled to maternity benefit. I think that if you are on unemployment benefit you are entitled to maternity benefit however.
It seems very unfair that someone who is 'actively looking for employment' would be turned down maternity benefit.
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?