Claiming Unemployment Benefit

[Marina]

Please can anyone help me understand the ins and outs of this.

When my long term temporary contract ended, I signed on for unemployment benefit. They took my previous two years salary into consideration.

Now I know that benefit is only paid for a certain amount of time, but I'm not sure how long I will get it for.I get a different answer whenever I ask.

During the time I've been unemployed,I've had two short periods of part-time work, which the benefits office has been notified about.

Both of these periods have left me out of pocket as the part-time wage, didn't cover the amount of benefit that was stopped. All in all, with petrol, it has cost me around €600 to go to work.

My thinking was that by working, it would extend the time that I'm able to claim benefit for, so it would be worth while in the end.

Does anyone know if I'm right, or not?

I'm wondering because as far as I'm aware, once you stop claiming and return to work, you need to work for six months before claiming again. So does that mean I won't get any benefit for doing intermittent, short periods here and there?

[gus-lopez]

I'm wondering because as far as I'm aware, once you stop claiming and return to work, you need to work for six months before claiming again. So does that mean I won't get any benefit for doing intermittent, short periods here and there?

Quite possibly. You need to find someone who is an expert in this & it certainly won't be anyone working at the soc.sec offices.

[Marina]

Quite possibly. You need to find someone who is an expert in this & it certainly won't be anyone working at the soc.sec offices.

You're right there. I get different information every time I go.

There's a very nasty man there too, who managed to reduce me to tears one day. I dread having to deal with him.

Where do I find an expert though?

[ian.wilson]

There are various union offices in most towns along the Costa del Sol, even if you are not a member they know most of it inside out and will help for free. My daughter gor offered a job on false pretences whilst she was claiming benefit (they said it was €800 a month and it was actually €500 a month). The company informed the social that she was working so they cut her benefit, she only stayed one day and didn´t even sign the contract, she walked out when everybody said that it wasn´t €800 a month. The union office in Marbella in front of the UCP Hospital (other side of the road up a little ally), they sorted it and she got her full benefit back after they threatened to bring in the Work Inspectors. They even contacted employment lawyers in Malaga for advice and they didn´t charge a penny. They do not speak English though and if you don´t you will need to take somebody that does.

Regards
Ian

[Marina]

Thanks.

I've not heard of union offices. Do you know what they are called in Spanish?

[gerryw80]

Chrck with the Employment office , its called the Oficina de Empleo:)

[Marina]

Just thought someone might know. Save me traipsing off to the office.

[ian.wilson]

The union ofdices have nothing to do with the Oficina de Empleo, they are staffed by normal Spanish workers who have trained in work law off there own back, every company with over 50 members of staff have to have a union by law in Spain. They have many different names, the one I used in Marbella is the Union Andaluz del Trabajador, there are few different one in Marbella, don´t remeber all there names. They normally have the Andalucia flag in there logo or sign and something to do with Trabajador stated on it.

[Marina]

Thank you. That's very helpful.