§ 34. Colonel DAYasked the Minister of Labour if he will state, for the guidance of unemployed persons who are offered casual work, the hours of labour, or the amount of wages received in any one week, that will disqualify them for benefit for the week during which casual labour was performed?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDBenefit is not payable for any day on which casual work is done. Other days of unemployment are not affected provided that continuity of unemployment is not broken; the rule as to this is given in Section 5(1) of the Unemployment Insurance Act, 1923. I should point out further that a claimant who refuses or avoids casual work of a suitable nature thereby runs the risk of disqualifying himself for benefit, on the ground that he is not genuinely seeking work.
§ Mr. T. WILLIAMSIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that a man performing the work of an auxiliary postman and receiving less in wages for several hours per day than he would unemployment pay, is deprived of unemployment pay if he refuses to work for less than the amount paid for unemployment?
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDI am not aware of the case to which the hon. Member refers. If he has supplementary work, if in work, in the evening which, under normal circumstances, he would do in addition to his ordinary work, then there is no disqualification. If, on the other hand, he has a job during the day, that would disqualify him so far as that day is concerned.
§ Mr. WILLIAMSAn auxiliary postman working two or three hours a day during the whole of the six clays receives less than unemployment pay, and if he refuses to do that work he cannot get his unemployment pay.
§ Sir A. STEEL-MAITLANDThe question of casual work is exceedingly complicated, but if the hon. Member will put the case to me I will go into it with him.
§ Colonel DAYAs this is an extreme hardship on people in casual employment, will the right hon. Gentleman make these conditions quite clear?