Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 section 68L

Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment

Section 68L sets out the eligibility conditions for the Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment (PUP).

• To qualify, a person must be aged 18 to pensionable age, have lost employment or self-employment income as a direct consequence of Covid-19 on or after 13 March 2020, meet contribution conditions, be capable of work, and be genuinely seeking employment.
• Self-employed claimants must demonstrate their income ceased or reduced due to Covid-19 to the extent they would be available for full-time work, and their self-employment earnings must not exceed €960 over any eight-week period.
• A person is disqualified if their employer received the temporary wage subsidy, if they left employment voluntarily or through misconduct, if they refuse suitable work or support offered by the Minister, or if they already received the pandemic unemployment payment under section 202 for the same week.
• Employers and self-employed contributors must provide prescribed information to the Minister to enable the determination of entitlement to the payment.