to think my friend has a good argument for refusing to attend this job interview?

[listsandbudgets]

She's going anyway because even though she argued until she was in floods of tears, the job centre have told her that if she does not she'll have her benefits taken away.

She's strictly vegan and has been since her mid teens - she's now in her late 30s. She won't even wear leather shoes. They are sending her to be interviewed for a job in an abattoir Normally I'd say if people can work they should but surely she's got a good argument for not going for this job?

What on earth can she do? Will she be sanctioned if she lets them know her views during the interview and does her best not to get the job?

I bet more of mrknowitalls tax goes to the Big 4 than to the jsa bill.

I would reluctantly have to advise your friend to attend and be honest about her beliefs I.e. I'm a good teamworker, I think your entire business is abhorrent and spend my spare time coverting people to veganism, I'm also punctual. This is mainly because even if it is decided that she shouldn't have to go, she may well get sanctioned while they are deciding this and whilst you are sanctioned I believe it can be hard to access other services.

I think things like this are all part of the 'punish the poor' mindset the government and the tabloids are so keen to encourage. It's not unreasonable to refuse a job that not only disgusts you but is hazardous and poorly paid. Why should someone who is out of work be regarded as some kind of lesser lifeform that must obey its 'betters' or starve?

I was thinking the same thing UseHerName.

I'm so very thankful I'm no longer poor.

It's only an interview, she's not being forced to take the job and with a few carefully worded answers will probably not be offered the job. If nothing else it will be good interview experience for her, and will show that she is serious about seeking a job.

Realised that sounded like a boast - I'm not in mrknowitalls league but I'm so much better off than I was growing up. I just can't see why people are drinking up the strivers/shirkers rhetoric - is empathy such a hard skill?

How awful for her. I'm vegetarian and have been for a very long time. I think I would manage working in a butcher, but an abattoir would be very difficult. I think most people would find it nauseating to be honest and I doubt any of the benefits bashers on here would be capable of doing it.

She will have to be very careful how she handles the interview, as she doesn't want to cross the line that might get her sanctioned. I think at the any questions bit at the end she should explain that she would really like a job, any job, but that she is worried about how she will be able to deal with abattoir work, as many people must be, and wonders what support they offer to help people adjust. That should put them off, without giving them anything to report.

SgB you are so right.

Is the job in the office or on the killing floor or processing part? I think she should go for the interview but tell them she is vegan. She will type, file do admin as long as she is in the office but if she's asked to work on the floor it's going to be a disaster for all concerned.

Solomon that's better worded than my suggestion.

My understanding is that she would be covered under the discrimination act under the section for religious or philosophical belief. But wouldn't expect the job centre staff to know that.

I was on job seekers allowance a few years ago. I hated the job centre it was the most depressing place ever. They wanted me to go for an interview for a security guard,all 4ft 11 of me . They used to find the most inappropriate jobs they could, or so it seemed. I took great delight when I finally got a job I'd found myself in going in and telling them. Bloody awful place. So no I don't think your friend is being unreasonable.

Yep, reckon she'll be covered by discrimination legislation. She needs to push this. I'm vegetarian and have been for 20+ years. No way I'd do this.

If they'd excuse a religious vegetarian (Hindu, Jain etc), then they are saying that her deeply-held life philosophy is not so important because it's not religious? That's probably got some mileage in it as well, favouring supernatural philosophies/believers....

It's quite reasonable for your friend to not want to go to the interview; it would however be unreasonable for her to refuse or sabotage it and still expect to be given benefits.

Op

Your sister does have a good reason

Taken from here

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/296129/dmgch34.pdf

I don't think it's unreasonable for anyone to refuse a job where they have to slaughter or deal with just slaughtered animals.

I do think however that it would be unreasonable to not take a job where they might have to serve or handle animal products such as a restaurant, deli counter, shoe shop etc and I would include certain aspects of abbatoir work (office, dispatch, etc) to fit that criteria.

I'm on the fence, when I was unemployed I got pretty desperate and applied for everything I could possibly be physically capable of and I wasn't signing on.

The job centre ime have a habit of pressuring people to apply for completely unsuitable jobs with the threat of sanctions. My Dh only signed on for 6 months but he was pushed to apply for jobs in a call centre, he's deaf. He ended up having to apply to keep JCP happy wasting the employer's time and his own. This time would have been better spent searching and applying for jobs he would be able to do.

Let's kill the poor kill the poor kill the poor!
Bastards all of them. Skivving fuckers.

Ahem. On a more, you know, human level, it's not the same as someone being a bit squeamish or eating neat but not wanting to see the reality of the act, she has a deeply held belief and it snacks of punishing her to force her to do something so abhorrent to her.

Solomons advice is good

'In this economic climate she should be bloody grateful she has a job, and is earning her own money, even if it is in a slaughterhouse.

The same applies to anybody who if they had the choice have some sort of beliefs that would preclude them working in a particular job. If you are unemployed and on benefits any job will do unless you are medically unfit for that particular job.'

What about jobs in the adult/sex industry? Should they suck that up to? It's a job right..

What about jobs in the adult/sex industry? Should they suck that up too?

I can't believe some people feel your friend should have to do this, OP. It is not the same as working in a shop, handling already butchered meat. For someone with deeply held ethical and moral objections to the slaughter of animals, this is just cruel. I think Solomon suggested the best way round it.

Re jobs in the sex industry

About 3 years ago it was brought to my attention that at least 16 clients of mine had been ordered to interview for a 'modelling' job. The interview consisted of turning up at a grotty bedsit being asked to take off their tops so someone pretending to be a professional photographer could grope them and take pictures.

All were threatened that if they did not comply he would report them to dwp.

10 meetings later and evidence including police reports they were still sending people to interview.

needsasockaesty

Oh my goodness NeedsAsock

I'm a meat eater and I'd have a problem with this because of the mass killings of animals in a production line ie. they see their mate in front if them killed and it causes distress

I would only agree to kill them if they were led in calmly, quietly and individually so that they weren't stressed

But I'd still find it hard and it's why I was veggie ten years

I think most meat eaters would find it hard tbh if they thought about it but most people don't think about it

Can't imagine being vegan and having to do it

The job centre have already tried to sanction benefits for those who refuse to work in the adult industry - a porn shop. Not ann summers but an actual private shop.