Social Welfare Act, 1979

Extension of period of unemployment benefit for certain married women.

22.—(1) Section 16 (2) of the Act of 1952 shall, in respect of a married woman (other than a married woman living apart from and unable to obtain any financial assistance from her husband or entitled to an increase of benefit for a child or husband), have effect as if “312 days” were substituted for “one hundred and fifty-six days”.

(2) Where a woman entitled to unemployment benefit for 312 days has exhausted her right to that benefit—

(a) she shall requalify for it when 13 employment contributions have been paid in respect of her in respect of contribution weeks begun or ended since the 156th day for which she was entitled to such benefit, and

(b) on her so requalifying, section 16 (2) of the Act of 1952 (as amended by this section) shall again apply to her but, in a case where the period of interruption of employment in which she exhausted her right to such benefit continues after her requalification, as if the part before and the part after the exhaustion were distinct periods of interruption of employment.

(3) Where in a period of interruption of employment a woman referred to in subsection (1) of this section has exhausted her right to 156 days unemployment benefit within the period of 156 days before the commencement of this section, she shall be entitled to such benefit in respect of each day, up to a maximum of 156 days, of unemployment from such commencement up to the 315th day of unemployment in that period of interruption of employment.

(4) This section shall come into operation on the 2nd day of April, 1979.