Social Welfare Act, 1976

Extension of period of unemployment benefit.

11.—(1) Section 5 of the Act of 1967 is hereby amended by the substitution for subsections (1) and (4) of the following subsections, respectively:

“(1) Section 16 (2) of the Act of 1952 shall, in respect of a person who is over the age of eighteen years and is not 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 “three hundred and ninety days” were substituted for “one hundred and fifty-six days”.

(4) Where a person entitled to unemployment benefit for three hundred and ninety days has exhausted his right to that benefit—

(a) he shall requalify therefor when thirteen employment contributions have been paid in respect of him in respect of contribution weeks begun or ended since the one hundred and fifty-sixth day for which he was entitled to that benefit,

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

(2) Where in a period of interruption of employment a person to whom section 5 (1) of the Act of 1967 (as amended by this section) applies has exhausted his right to 312 days' unemployment benefit within the period of 78 days ending at the commencement of this section he shall be entitled to unemployment benefit in respect of each day, up to a maximum of 78 days, of unemployment occurring after such commencement but before the 394th day of unemployment in that period of interruption of employment.

(3) This section shall come into operation on the 5th day of April, 1976.