Short-term, part-time work does not pay

We were told we are coming out of the recession.

Rubbish. What’s sadder are the stories we hear about people and their efforts to get employment. Well, I wonder why people even try, because when they get a job, it’s not worth doing.

I know of a man who has been unemployed for a few years and, when offered three weeks’ work, at 12 hours a day, he was, of course, well-pleased. But that soon turned to anxiety.

The man is married, with three children, and was getting €300 from the social welfare. He went to the tax office and they told him he would be tax-free, which was standard procedure.

But, at the end of the week, after working himself to a standstill, he was paid €126. He was furious and when he went to the tax office they had the attitude of “ah, you’ll get it all back”.

The system has changed and people need to be aware (because the tax office won’t inform them) that you will be put on emergency tax whatever your circumstance. I had the same situation during the summer, having been promised two months of work, three days a week. I was still on emergency tax when I was laid-off and my wages for the three days ended up being much less than the social welfare payment. The system (as usual) is failing the people that need it most. It encourages fraud and the black market economy, which I believe is thriving. !! How can you blame people? How can you expect people who are doing their best to put up with this rubbish?

I, for one, will never do a three-day week again. It’s just not worth it. If I get employment in 2014, am I going to be subject to this again?

Michael Ahern

Cathedral Road

Cork