Bosses could be paid to extend three-day week hours

THE Government wants to pay bosses to extend the hours of thousands of employees working three-day weeks.

It emerged yesterday that the numbers claiming the dole increased yet again last month, by almost 30,000 to 466,923. Of those on the Live Register, 64,000 are working three days each week and claiming welfare for the other two.

Social Protection Minister Eamon O Cuív and Employment Minister Batt O’Keeffe are examining a scheme which would see the employers of those workers paid the money otherwise spent on social welfare in return for extending their working week to five days.