When does JB start after redundancy
Your JB entitlement starts from the date your employment ends — subject to the standard 3-day waiting period. If you received notice and worked through it, your employment ends on your last working day. If you were paid in lieu of notice, your employment ends on the day of dismissal.
Working through notice period
If your employer gives you notice and you work through it, your employment continues until the last day of notice. JB starts from the next working day, subject to 3 waiting days.
Pay in lieu of notice (PILON)
If you are paid instead of working notice, your employment ends immediately. However, the DSP treats the PILON period as if you were still employed for JB purposes — meaning JB may not be payable until the notice period would have expired. This is a common source of confusion.
How redundancy lump sums are treated
The statutory redundancy payment — 2 weeks' pay per year of service plus 1 bonus week, capped at €600 per week — is fully disregarded for JB purposes. It does not affect your JB payment or when it starts.
Ex-gratia redundancy payments above the statutory amount are also disregarded for JB — because JB is not means-tested. Your earnings and lump sums have no bearing on your JB rate. This is different from Jobseeker's Allowance, where excess redundancy payments can affect the means assessment.
What to do first
- 1
Get your P45 from your employer
Your employer is legally required to give you a P45 or submit final payroll information to Revenue when your employment ends. This is what the DSP uses to confirm your employment history and PRSI record.
- 2
Claim JB immediately
Go to your local Intreo centre on or as close to your first day of unemployment as possible. Your entitlement runs from your claim date — delay means lost payments.
- 3
Check your redundancy entitlements separately
Redundancy payment disputes are handled separately from JB claims. If your employer disputes your redundancy entitlement or fails to pay, contact the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
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