Unemployment benefit appeal and processing delays
A Cork claimant’s benefit was refused because she was judged not to be genuinely seeking work or available for employment, having named no type of work sought. The Deputy also raised delays in appeals; the Minister said unemployment benefit decisions should not take long, while expressing greater concern about the unemployment assistance scheme.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork lost an appeal in respect of her claim for unemployment benefit on the grounds that she was unavailable for work even though strong evidence was submitted on behalf of her application both by employers and by Deputy Bernard Allen.
Comment on this
To qualify for unemployment benefit a claimant must fulfil the statutory condition for entitlement of being available for work. The claimant must be free to take up employment and must be making genuine efforts to obtain work.
The person concerned claimed unemployment benefit from 24 September 1982 to 27 October 1982 and again from 19 November 1982. In connection with her claim, she had stated "none" in reply to a question about the type of work she was seeking. The claim was disallowed on the ground that the claimant was not genuinely seeking employment and was not accordingly available for work.
She appealed against the disallowance of her claim and the appeals officer held an oral hearing of the case at which the claimant attended and gave evidence on her own behalf. The appeals officer had before him all the evidence furnished by the appellant, including the representations made by the Deputy, but he upheld the decision of the deciding officer and disallowed the claim.
Comment on this
Is the Minister aware of the long delays being experienced by people, especially in the Cork region, in relation to appeals? This is just one example of a litany of them. Does the Minister propose to do anything to improve the situation?