Mandatory Work Activity WTF?

[DeadWomanWalking]

I'm currently on JSA and my advisor has put me forward for Mandatory Work Activity (gee great thanks ). I've just had a letter telling me I start on Thursday it's with Age Concern, which I'm pleased about as I was hoping it would be with a charity and not some multi-national millionaire company.

With it there is a time sheet that details my hours for the next 4 weeks. On my first day I do 10am-4.30pm, which is fine. But then it has me down as having working 8am-6pm 7 days a week for the next 4 weeks! Surely that can't be right? 70 hours a week, 7 days a week and no days off for over a month? I can't ring anyone until Monday to find out if it's correct or not. I was wondering if anyone on here has had to do it, and if so what were your hours?

It says a minimum of 30 hours a week. Surely it's illegal to work 70 hours a week without a day off? I'm also supposed to find the time during this 70 hour week no day off in 4 weeks period to also sign on (if I don't I loose benefits) how I'm supposed to do that when the jobcentre is only open 9-5? Are they going to stay open late especially for me, I don't think so. I also have to attend any appointments my advisor sets at the jobcentre and do 30 hours of job searching a week. How is that going to be possible?

Of course I suppose I should be thanking them for my food and water should be oh so humble. "Gee whiz fanks ever so much Mr Cameron Sir you're ever so kind to a feckless lazy scrounger like me."

As you can tell I'm very worked up over this.

[noisytoys]

That is ridiculous I hope it is a mistake. This whole thing is a joke it makes me so angry

[juneybean]

The whole thing is ridiculous, you should only work the number of hours that make up jobseekers allowance at minimum wage (9 hours?)

[DeadWomanWalking]

Argh lose not loose

[DeadWomanWalking]

I'm really hoping that's what it means Suffolk, all though there is no room on the time sheet to amend the times, and I have to detail all the times I am there. I'm going to be bloody steaming about this all weekend until I can speak to someone on Monday.

[DeadWomanWalking]

Although, not bloody all though.

[CecilyP]

Yes, I would assume it just means you will be working for 30 hours a week within those times but they haven't yet worked out the exact times that they want you after the first day.

[WishIdbeenatigermum]

It has to be a mistake
Don't worry and good luck b

[lauriedriver]

I doubt it's illegal to work 70hrs a week!! I did an extra 9hrs overtime last week on top of my usual 50.

[juneybean]

Working time regulations states you must have an uninterupted rest period of 24 hours per week or 48 hours per two weeks.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

In general the Working Time Regulations provide rights to:

#a limit of an average 48 hours a week on the hours a worker can be required to work, though individuals may choose to work longer by "opting out"
#5.6 weeks' paid leave a year
#11 consecutive hours' rest in any 24-hour period
#a 20-minute rest break if the working day is longer than six hours
#one day off each week
#a limit on the normal working hours of night workers to an average eight hours in any 24-hour period, and an entitlement for night workers to receive regular health assessments.

m.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1373

[TidyDancer]

Maybe it means that those are your potential hours of work but that the exact hours are to be decided by the shop manager, dependent on their need?

I agree it's a clumsy way of writing it, but I suspect that's what's meant.

[AlbertaCampion]

Don't worry: it will be a mistake. I think you have lucked out with Age Concern / Age UK though: I used to work for them and they were lovely .

[Loulybelle]

Charity Shops arent even open 8am til 6pm, 7 days a week, check out the opening times of the store your at.

I did my MWP in Feb, i did 20 hours a week for 4 weeks, due to my child care commitments.

[Loulybelle]

Most likely your hours will be between 10 til 4, 5 days a week, dependent on the manager. I got given my hours by Seetec, not sure why you werent.

[TenBitSailor]

Got to be an error or badly worded, surely?

[Jinsei]

Don't worry OP, it's bound to be a mistake. You won't be expected to work those hours.

I agree that you've lucked out in getting Age Concern. I hate this scheme and object to it strongly, but if you have to do it, it's much better to know that you're working for a good cause rather than a big corporation.

I hope you get the answers you're looking for on Monday.

[Loulybelle]

Jinsei, Seetec generally prefer to use Charity Shops for the MWP, i did mine in one, and i had the best time. I'd have been less happy if i got shoved in tesco, coz i hate Tesco. I loved working at the Charity shop, i even donated to them.

[Jinsei]

I didn't know that Louly, but I'm glad to hear it. Unpaid work for a charity is much more palatable than slave labour for tesco!

[Jinsei]

Oh, and I'm glad you had such a good time there. I hope that the OP has a similarly positive experience. :)

[Loulybelle]

I think all the shit they got for using big business lead to a re think, i remember hearing they were gonna put a girl forward for work in a church coffee shop. Little Business get the benefit.

Tesco earn enough, they can pay for their own damn staff.

[BlackMaryJanes]

OP how long have you been on JSA for?

[DeadWomanWalking]

BlackMaryJanes I've been on JSA for almost 8 months now.

Loulybelle that's good to know that they're good to work for. Can I ask, what did you wear whilst you worked there? Was it just smart clothes or could you wear jeans? It's been that long since I've worked or even had an interview I don't have any work clothes that fit me any more. It's a company called JHP who are handling mine, I'm hoping that it is just potential hours I could work.

[Loulybelle]

I went smart casual, not stuff but still smart, to start black trousers and a smart top, then check out out the other staff wear.

Your hours are likely to be 10 til 4, because thats the normal hours of Age Concern.

I been on JSA for 7 months, after 5 years as a SAHM, not even an interview yet, so i know how you feel.

[Darkesteyes]

I agree that doing it for charity would be slightly better than doing it for big business IF they took the sanctions out of it. At the moment as it stands now the charity could report you to the JC for a sanction if you were late or couldnt come in. People on ESA have been sanctioned because of this causing hardship,the very thing that charity is suppossed to be against.
And dont even get me started on the hypocrisy of the bussinesses and charities taking part in this scheme selling Fair Trade goods.
Fair Trade doesnt seem to extend to people on JSA or ESA!