To think that they were more unresonable than me (job centre)

[leftangle]

Had an appointment to apply for jobseekers allowance today. I've been made redundant, have been working 3 days a week for the last 2 years and full time for the rest of my working life apart from maternity leave.

They wanted me to turn up to sign on tomorrow. I said I can't due to childcare. Apparently there isn't a choice. And if I'm actively jobseeking it shouldn't be a problem for me! Well I am actively jobseeking but I need notice for childcare. I said interviews generally give more than a days notice - consultant didn't agree.

I was also annoyed that they couldn't tell me if I am actually elligable for jobseekers (may not be as i was on maternity leave for some of the quallifying period). So I potentially have to attend 2 interviews with associated 1 hr travel and bus fare before being told I don't qualify.

Lastly I was asked to sign a form to say I would be availble for 40hours a week with 90mins travel each way. I said I wasn't. She said sign it anyway and they can sort it out when you sign on.

So, I rather talked myself into a hole of not being able to attend tomorrow and as they couldn't reschedule for the next week (as it has to be a tuesday) I walked out. Thus totally cutting off my nose to spite my face as now I will have to rearrange and still attend twice.

So I was definately unreasonalbe for walking out instead of sorting the childcare somehow for tomorrow - and I regret it - but I think they are worse?

YABU. I have had to have interviews at the job centre where I have had to take all 4 of my DC's, the worst of which was just after my Ex-P moved out. I COULDN'T have waited another week, unless I wanted us to starve, so needs must.

YABU what if everybody wanted the whole system to work around them? You could have taken your children - you didn't want to. As you said - you have cut off your nose to spite your face.

Don't be too sure about not being expected to turn up with an ill DC either. There was one time I had a work focused interview for IS, and my DD woke that morning with D&V.

When I phoned to rearrange, I was told I turned up or my money would be sanctioned (stopped).

They soon rethought that policy after my DD shit herself on their floor...

I wouldn't be so sure about them making exceptions for ill DC's, either. I had a work focused interview for Income Support. On the day, DD woke up with D&V.

When I called to rearrange, I was told that if I didn't turn up, my IS would be sanctioned (stopped).

They soon changed that policy after my DD shit herself all over their floor...

?

Yabu to stomp out but I think yanbu re childcare. Have never signed on but I wouldn't have thought for a second that I could take my child to
Interviews that's not how it works in the workplace so why would op even think that was an option if not told? And organising childcare on a days notice is unreasonable.

Op did you know taking DC was an option? If not yanbu.

Just because something is the system (interviews in a days notice, computer led beurocracy) doesn't make it right!

I had to turn up for an interview with a dd with chicken pox, which had just started that day and was infectious.

It's not an interview it's signing on. Your signing on day is dictated by your NI number, it can be any weekday within a two week period it's just bad luck that your signing on day fell the day after your new claim interview, meaning you had to attend on two consecutive days. There is nothing the person seeing you could have done about it at all. You sign on on the day stipulated or you don't get your money.

OP, how old is your DC? If your child is under 5 you can apply for Income Support which I have recently done, by phone and mail - no interview at all. I also applied for JSA to begin with and found that the telephone staff had no problem cancelling that claim and telling me how to start a IS claim.
This may be more appropriate for you and will certainly reduce the stress involved in being unemployed while your looking for something new.
HTH

Take the kids with you.

I find the presence of DS2 really speeds things up in these situations. He doesn't enjoy this sort of stuff and is very vocal in his displeasure.

We are regularly sped through lines at airports and at offices, anyone would think they just want him to go away.

In my opinion you are NOT being unreasonable. The person you spoke to said you didn't have a choice? Your not claiming Job Seekers yet therefor you DONT have to do anything! Im not on benifits anymore but when I was it was awful, the job centre that I went to was full of advisers that were rude and tbh looked down their noses at people.

Did you sign the form about the job for 40 hours a week?

YANBU - I wish you luck OP. I hope it isn't Kilburn job centre where you have to sign. There are some really ignorant staff in there.

Mind you I did have a laugh in there one day when a whole Irish travelling family kicked off. Never got seen so quick!

God the staff in Kilburn job centre were so rude. They would look down there noses at the claimants.

The job centre is the absolute pits. They treat everyone who walks through their doors like scum. I was in there last week trying to sort out the bereavement allowance for my mum and the way they spoke to me and my mum was utterly disgusting and shameful.

Unemployed people will be told to take job offers within a 90-minute commute from their homes or risk their benefits being docked, the Evening Standard can reveal.
www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/take-a-job-even-if-its-90-mins-away-or-no-dole-tories-announce-6450104.html

Has this now become law? Surely that would put most workers' commuting costs higher than their JSA?

Its all very well for "Call me Dave" to insist that he wants jobseekers to travel for 90 mins to get to work like some of the workers that commute to London do but im betting most of those already commuting to London arent in a low paid minimum wage job.

YABU, when DS1 was small I had to take him with me to all different types of benefits appointments and whilst sometimes it was a pain/scary its what you have to do when you are claiming money.

Your argument about not even being sure if you will get anything is not relevant as your NI will be credited if you officially 'sign on' even if you don't receive any cold hard cash. This, you will be grateful for in years to come

Thanks cricket - didn't know that. Fair enough everyone else, and I have already said I know I WBU. I also accept that my sign on day is my sign on day and can't be changed. But why not tell me so in advance?

And I am availabe for work. How often do you get a job interview on a days notice (if the date hasn't been advertised at application).

YABU. BUT I completely understand where you're coming from. When I was made redundant a couple of years back (in the November - I'd been back from maternatiy leave for a couple of months) I had to sign on. I was eligible for contributions based JA, having worked full time since I left uni, followed by part time after DS1.

It WAS difficult. I had to take my kids with me (and luckily I dont always have to get a bus) They dont allow pushchairs upstairs either, which meant I just had to leave it (but you could put a bike lock on it if you can find anything to chain it to) and carry a wriggling 1 year old and lead a whining 4 year old upstairs.

They were actually very nice when I (finally) got to interview. I wasnt forced to say I'd work 40 hours - thats not OK. They were quite patient with the toddler (this is when you need them to stay put, and he was walking already - gaah!) I brought a gazillion snacks and some toys, and gritted my teeth.

I had to sign on twice after that, which is kind of soul destroying, and again no fun.

But then I was offered two jobs (not through them - they readily admitted they didnt have anything that would suit me) . I did forget to turn up to a course I'd agreed to, which resulted in a letter telling me I'd lose my JA without a good excuse, but my excuse was a job interview, so I was ok.

Happy ending for me. Hope for one for you x

Job Centres are crap though, dh went this morning to get some help/advice as he's struggling to find work. The 'security' stopped him at the door and gave him a number to ring which was even more confusing. Got though to a person who referred him to their website. Don't get me started on that! How do you get through the doors?

He's currently at our local CAB, fingers crossed for better help.

YABU though OP, should have signed on and tool dd.

took

I think some posters are being harsh a bit,

I would take my 2 year old with me , but it would be a living hell and would spent the entire time asking to be let out of his pushchair arrgh, if I had the choice I would leave them behind.

all your asking for is a bit of notice.

Take the children.

The 90 mins travel is just an arbitrary travel time. You wouldn't apply for a job that was that far away with children.

When you have your appointments, if they find a job on the system and suggest it to you, you can say "I wouldn't be able to get there in time. They want me to start at 8.30 and my CM doesn't take children before 7.30" and they'll look for something else. It wouldn't make sense for them to force you to take a job in those conditions - too easy for childcare/employment to fail and they can't set you up to fail.

They just want to tick the box and get on with their day. Unless you are blatantly disrespecting the system or taking the piss, you won't have a problem.

If they trust that you are looking for work they will tell you just to take the print out because it's part of their terms and conditions that they have to help you find work and to evidence that they need to show that they have helped you identify suitable work.

It's tough, when you've been in the world of work, you're used to people trusting you, relying on you, taking you at face value and taking responsibility for yourself and your actions.

You need to tick their boxes, they need to tick their managers' boxes, they need to tick the centre manager's boxes, they need to tick the LA boxes. And there needs to be a paper trail to evidence the lot. That's all.

You've now entered the unenviable world of the benefit claimant.

They have a 'customer charter' too. If the staff don't follow it - complain.

Thanks folkgirl - will try and recite that to myself next time I go.
Now I see so many people do take their children in I'll be more confident about doing it.

why are you applying for jsa if you have a child under 5? you are exempt from having to activily seek employment.

yes they should treat you with respect and what not but it sounds l;ike they did,
you already know you were BU to walk out,

those of us who dont have the ability to hire sitters or get a friend to watch kids everytime we want them to just have to live with it and take our kids to some appointments with us its a fact of life.anyone who has kids experances this at sometime

perhaps you could take them with you but not leave your buggy unattended?