Following a meeting with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the Department of Employment and Social Protection has asked employers who lay off staff to continue to pay them fully during the national emergency.

Congress engaged with the Government on the issue last Thursday (12th March) and strongly argued that all workers should have their net income preserved during the crisis.

There’s been a sudden and massive spike in coronavirus, with around 140,000 workers – from pubs, restaurants and childcare facilities –  laid off in recent days.

In response, the Government has established a facility for employers to continue to pay laid-off workers at least the equivalent jobseekers' rate of €203 per week during a six-week period.

Employers will then be able to claim a refund for the payments under the temporary scheme. Refunds are expected to take some time to process, but banks have pledged to provide businesses with overdrafts and short-term loans to cover the costs.

If their employers can’t pay the jobseekers’ benefit equivalent, affected workers can claim an online Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment. This is available for six weeks to workers and self-employed people who have lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic.

There is no need to attend a social welfare office to claim the benefit. A simplified version of the jobseekers form is available on the DEASP website. This must be downloaded, filled out and returned by post.

Staffing levels for online applications and the Illness benefit helpdesk are being increased in anticipation of additional demand.