Publication
Operational Guidelines: JobsPlus
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
From Department of Social Protection
Published on
Last updated on
JobsPlus is an employer incentive which encourages and rewards employers who offer employment opportunities to individuals who are unemployed. Regular payments will be made to qualifying employers to offset wage costs where they recruit eligible jobseekers for full time employment.
From January 2023, eligible jobseekers will include recipients of Disability Allowance and Blind Pension.
This incentive is designed to encourage employers and businesses to focus their recruitment efforts on those who have been out of work for a period.
The incentive is provided in the form of a monthly payment to employers by electronic fund transfer from the Department of Social Protection.
The grant rates applicable and eligibility criteria are set out in section 3.1 below.
The ESF+ is the EU’s instrument for investing in people. It is a co-financed programme, where EU funding must be matched by a set percentage of national funding. The European Social Fund provides €10 billion annually across the European Union where it aims to improve employment and education opportunities, to enhance social inclusion and to tackle poverty.
The European Commission is providing co-funding to JobsPlus for participants under 30 years. JobsPlus is jointly backed by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Government of Ireland.
As part of the requirements to obtain this funding, participants under 30 should be made aware of this funding. All JobsPlus related documentation and websites should have the Government of Ireland ESF+ logo and European Structural logo along with a statement that those under 30s are co-funded as above.
The JobsPlus incentive is in operation since early July 2013 and has been available for all eligible full time recruitment on or after 1 July 2013. To be considered eligible, the business must be registered as a PAYE employer with the Revenue Commissioners. There are no limits to the number of eligible employees any one employer may hire under the incentive. An employer may receive JobsPlus once only in respect of the same employee. The maximum support under the scheme is 24 months per employee.
The incentive is open to employers in the private, community, not-for-profit and voluntary sectors.
In order to qualify an employer must:
The incentive is available to employers filling new positions or vacancies that arise because of natural turnover for example retirements. Employers will be asked to give details of their workforce prior to application, in cases where an increase in work force is not evident, an employer will be asked to provide additional information to the department to support the application.
Recipients in education/training or apprenticeship schemes are not eligible for JobsPlus (refer to section 3.4).
An employer in receipt of the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance may qualify for the scheme. Start-up employers may also be eligible where evidence is provided that the business has commenced operations.
An employer availing of JobsPlus may not be entitled in receiving aid from other State sources for the employment costs of the same employee.
An employer must declare any other State funding received (or proposing to apply for support) towards the employment costs of an employee or supporting JobsPlus employment when applying. After receiving JobsPlus support they must also declare this to a State body. Examples of State bodies listed below:
JobsPlus is not payable for any employment positions also included under other State funded wage supports. This is to prevent double funding.
An employer considered a public service body within the meaning of a ‘public service body’ is not eligible for the incentive, unless proof is provided that the position is not being funded by the Government. A person or body funded by the Oireachtas including (employers providing services on behalf of the Department of Social Protection) the Central Fund or where a public service pension scheme exists or may be made is defined as a public service body. This also includes schools, boards of management and education providers wholly or partly funded by the Department of Education and Science or the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
An employer must be tax compliant. Employers must give permission to check their status with the Revenue Commissioners. Employers must supply a tax clearance access number (TCAN) at the time of application. Before a payment is made an employer’s TCAN is automatically checked and where it cannot be validated payment will not issue. Employers can obtain their TCAN by downloading direct from www.ros.ie or through their accountant.
The recruitment of prescribed relatives (parent, grandparent, step-parent, child, grandchild, step-children, siblings or half-siblings) can only be considered eligible for support under the JobsPlus incentive where the employment is insurable under the Social Welfare Acts (Chapter 2 of Part 2 of the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 refers) and the application is approved by the department.
From January 2023 the following changes apply:
The following rates of payment and qualifying periods apply.
| Payment | Notes | Qualifying period |
| Jobseeker, Disability Allowance / Blind Pension recipient aged under 30 | Jobseeker recipients includes JA/ JB/ JBCO/ JBSE/ PTJI. DA and BP included from Jan 2023. | 4 months (104) days in the previous 6 months |
| Jobseeker, Disability Allowance / Blind Pension recipient aged over 30 & under 50 | Jobseeker recipients includes JA/ JB/ JBCO/ JBSE/ PTJI. DA and BP included from Jan 2023. | Must have 12 months (312 days) in the previous 18 months |
| Persons with Refugee Status in receipt of a qualifying payment | Persons with refugee status and in receipt of a qualifying payment | No qualifying period applies |
| Jobseekers Transition (JST) recipient | Former one parent family payment customers whose youngest child is at least 7 years of age and under 14, who transfer to the live register and are now in receipt of Jobseekers Transitional payment (JST) | No qualifying period applies |
| Payment | Notes | Qualifying period |
| Jobseeker, Disability Allowance / Blind Pension recipient aged under 50. | Jobseeker recipients includes JA/ JB/ JBCO/ JBSE/ PTJI. DA and BP included from Jan 2023. | Must have been 36 months (936 days) unemployed in previous 42 months |
| Jobseeker, Disability Allowance / Blind Pension recipient aged over 50. | Jobseeker recipients includes JA/ JB/ JBCO/ JBSE/ PTJI. DA and BP included from Jan 2023. | Must have been 12 months (312 days) unemployed in previous 18 months |
| Traveller or person of Roma ethnicity in receipt of a qualifying payment | 4 months (104) days in the previous 6 months | |
| Person in receipt of a qualifying payment with a recent criminal record or a history of addiction (within previous 5 years) | 4 months (104) days in the previous 6 months |
Time spent on a range of other education, training, work placement and activation support schemes can be considered when determining the required number of days in receipt of a qualifying payment. (Short term illness while participating on a work initiative will not affect entitlement to JobsPlus).
Where the applicant is in receipt of a qualifying payment, time spent on PUP will count towards meeting the JobsPlus qualification period.
Summary table of qualifying payments and time spent on other schemes:
| A. Qualifying Payments: |
| Jobseeker's Allowance (JA) |
| Jobseeker's Benefit (JB) |
| Jobseekers Credits only (JBCO) |
| Jobseeker's Benefit for the Self-Employed (JBSE) |
| Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme (PTJI) |
| Jobseeker's Transitional Payment (JST) |
| Disability Allowance |
| Blind Pension |
| B. Other payments which count towards meeting eligibility period, where you must have been in receipt of a qualifying payment before and after the activity: |
| Back to Education Allowance |
| Back to Work Enterprise Allowance |
| Maternity Benefit |
| Short Term Enterprise Allowance |
| C. Jobseekers can go straight into a JobsPlus supported employment if they took part in any of the activities below and were in receipt of a qualifying payment prior to that activity: |
| Community Employment Programme (CE) |
| Rural Social Scheme (RSS) |
| Solas /ETB - short duration courses |
| Springboard+ Courses |
| Tús Initiative |
| VTOS |
| Youthreach - Note: administered by ETBs (establishes an entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment prior to/after participation on the Youthreach course - RSU circular 39/16 refers) 3 months period waived. |
| Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) - Note: (formerly Youth Employment Support Scheme (YESS). YESS programme now closed, however, time spent on this programme still counts towards the JobsPlus qualifying time) |
Where the applicant is in receipt of a qualifying payment, the time spent on Basic Supplementary Welfare Allowance prior to the qualifying payment, will count towards meeting the JobsPlus qualification period.
Beneficiaries of Temporary Protection weekly payment. Where the applicant is in receipt of a qualifying payment,the time spent on BOTP weekly payment, prior to the qualifying payment, will count towards meeting the JobsPlus qualification period.
Time spent in prison may count towards the qualifying time once entitlement to a qualifying social welfare payment is established.
Recipients of the following are not eligible for JobsPlus:
Training/Education or apprenticeship schemes are not considered newly created full-time jobs. Therefore, the incentive is not offered to individuals engaged in apprenticeships, training schemes or work experience programmes.
New employees under the JobsPlus initiative may be entitled to receive Working Family Payment. This is a weekly tax-free payment available to employees with children which gives extra financial support to people on low pay.
Jobseekers that enter employment may be entitled to BTWFD which provides financial support for jobseekers with a dependent child on their return to work for a period of two years after commencing employment.
New employees will be able to access BTWFD without affecting supports available under JobsPlus. Further information on the BTWFD is available in your local Intreo Centre and Social Welfare Branch Offices. They will give guidance on the application process and provide the application form.
People who have a medical card and have been unemployed for a minimum of 12 months may retain their medical card for a period of 3 years if they commence employment.
Where a person is in receipt of a Disability Allowance or Blind Pension payment at a reduced rate due to means from employment, they retain the secondary benefits associated with that payment.
In cases where the person’s means, including income from employment, results in them no longer being eligible for the Disability Allowance or Blind Pension then the following applies:
Fast Track: Where a person has left the Disability Allowance or Blind Pension payment due to taking up employment and that employment doesn’t work out in the first 12 months, (for any reason), then the person will be Fast-Tracked back onto the payment.
The status of the employment will be the same as any other employment and liable to PAYE, USC and PRSI.
Once an employer decides to recruit an employee, they must:
This form requests information such as name of company, size of workforce, bank details and economic sector of company.
They must provide permission to check their tax clearance certificate online.
Note An employer is required to register once only. Subsequent applications will only be required where a company restructures and have a new company name and employer registration number.
At recruitment stage an employer could contact their local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office to discuss their vacancy so that a suitable jobseeker could be put forward to fill the position.
An employer may also wish to consider advertising their vacancy on www.jobsireland.ie. This is a free service.
When an employer has shortlisted candidates, they may advise the jobseeker to apply for JobsPlus on to www.jobsplus.ie where appropriate, or obtain the person’s JP1 form where they have already been approved for the scheme.
The two-part JP1 approval form contains:
When the employer identifies the most suitable jobseeker for the position, they complete Part B of the JP1 form for that person, sign the declaration and return it.
The returned JP1 form will be assessed to check that all conditions of the employment are met. The employer will be notified by e-mail that they have been awarded the incentive.
Note: It is only at the point of awarding employment that the applicant needs to close their qualifying payment.
When the applicant is offered a position by the employer:
Payment of JobsPlus to the employer can only commence when confirmation that the new employee has closed their qualifying Jobseeker claim or engaged with relevant section (DA/BP) about their commencement of employment has been received.
A jobseeker may verify their eligibility as an employee for the JobsPlus incentive by applying on line at JobsPlus.
In cases where a jobseeker self-identifies that they may be eligible for the higher rate of grant due to being a Traveller or person of Roma ethnicity, or due to having a recent criminal record or recent history of addiction, then further information may be sought to validate this. This is a confidential process, and no details will be shared with third parties.
After assessment of the candidate’s eligibility, the candidate will be sent a letter of approval/non-approval by post.
If eligible, a two-part JP1 form will be sent to the jobseeker by post:
It is a matter for the employer to offer the position to the person they consider to be most suitable for their vacancy.
The jobseeker’s recipient must take up employment immediately after signing off the live register or on completing one of the work activation initiatives outlined in section 3.2 in order to satisfy the conditions of JobsPlus incentive. A Disability Allowance / Blind Pension recipient must notify the relevant section of their commencement of employment.
The completed JP1 form must be returned to the JobsPlus unit in Carrick on Shannon in order to create the employment and set up the monthly payments.
JobsPlus Unit
Shannon Lodge
Carrick on Shannon
Co Leitrim
N41 KD81
The incentive will be awarded from a date determined by the department. No backdating of the incentive will apply.
Late claims: The JP1 form should be sent to the JobsPlus unit when the decision is made to employ the claimant and no later than 30 days after the commencement of employment. Where an application is made late, then evidence of the reasons for the delay should be submitted to the Department for consideration.
If the application is refused, or the grant payment is discontinued, the employer may request a review of the decision.
Decisions can be reviewed by officers not involved in the original decision. An applicant (employer or jobseeker) who is not satisfied with a decision made under the JobsPlus incentive may submit a written request for a review of the decision made. They should clearly outline the reason why a decision may be incorrect or that proper procedures were not applied.
The JobsPlus incentive is a non-statutory scheme and decisions cannot be appealed to the Social Welfare Appeals Office.
A jobseeker’s eligibility as an employee for JobsPlus is valid at the time it is verified and is re-confirmed on recruitment. Eligibility may be reviewed if there is a change in the jobseeker’s circumstances. Where circumstances change, a jobseeker can contact the JobsPlus unit on (071) 9672616 and request an up to date verification at www.jobsplus.ie.
The incentive will issue monthly in arrears by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) – no other method of payment is available. Payment to the employer will commence from the next JobsPlus monthly payment date after receipt of the fully completed JP1 form and subject to fulfilling the conditions of the scheme.
Payment is over a two-year period (24 monthly payments) from an approval date determined by the Department of Social Protection so long as eligibility continues.
The qualifying employer must specify the receiving bank account at the time of application. A monthly remittance slip will issue to employers outlining the employees to which the incentive refers.
The Department of Social Protection will treat all information and personal data obtained as confidential. As part of our monitoring and reporting obligations, we will use data provided for the operation of JobsPlus carefully. We will only disclose information on employers and employees to other people or bodies in accordance with the law.
The Department of Social Protection undertakes to use its best endeavours to hold confidential any information provided by companies (correspondence/forms/tenders, and so on), subject to the departments obligations under law, including the Freedom of Information Act, 2014. Should a company wish that any of the information it supplied not be disclosed because of its sensitivity, the company should, when providing the information, specify the reasons for its sensitivity. The department will consult with the company’s representative about this sensitive information before making a decision on any FOI request received. Please note, however, that if no information is identified as sensitive, with supporting reasons, then it can potentially be released in response to a FOI request.
The payment of the incentive is wholly dependent on the continuing employment of the eligible employee and each approved incentive is uniquely associated to a particular employee.
An employer shall grant officials of the department access to records, financial or otherwise, pertaining to the JobsPlus Scheme. If requested, the employer will provide rights of access and inspection to its officers and agents and the Comptroller and Auditor General to all activities, records, persons and information which may reasonably be required to verify compliance by the Company with the terms and conditions agreed in relation to the Scheme.
All records, both manual and electronic, relating to either applications or funding provided under the JobsPlus Scheme must be retained for as long as the JobsPlus scheme is in payment and for six years after, and must be available for inspection.
Payment of JobsPlus may be suspended or stopped if the employer does not agree to any reasonable request from an officer or agent of the department to access any records they hold pertaining to the JobsPlus scheme.
Income received by the employer from this initiative will not be considered as revenue/income for Employer income or corporation tax purposes.
The Department of Social Protection can recoup all JobsPlus support paid in error or in excess and is not restricted by the circumstances giving rise to such excess in seeking recoupment.
JobsPlus incentive is managed and administered by the JobsPlus Unit.
Further information and advice on all aspects of the JobsPlus incentive is available:
New JobsPlus Ready Reckoners are available for internal use only. Refer to JobsPlus and Working Age Schemes Policy team sites.
Note: The European Commission is providing co-funding to this scheme for participants under 30 years. The scheme is being backed jointly by the European Social Fund (ESF+) and the Government of Ireland.
JobsPlus is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union. Visit eufunds.ie for more information.