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Original poster

Weekly JSA grillings are a waste of time

147 replies

feellikeahugefailure · 02/03/2016 13:57

My jobcenter is asking people to come in every week, my advisor rolls her eyes at it and apologises for dragging me in (pretty much 3 hour round trip with rubbish local buses and waiting times) and it really cuts into my time.

Its almost like they are trying to make it difficult to put people off.

OP posts:
swiggityswoogity · 03/03/2016 03:43

No, we are always short of staff despite endless numbers lining out the door of the job centre.

It makes sure you are still in the country, it disrupts those who would work under the table

nevertakeyouriphoneinthebath · 03/03/2016 03:48

OP as an example of the shitty attitude towards jobseekers, one time my (fully employed) DP was with me, waiting for my appointment.
He had had a hard day at work and was leaning back in his chair a bit. (Note, not slouching, or getting in anyones way)
The security guard came over and told him to sit up straight..."no wonder you are unemployed with that attitude"!! DP stood up, showed the guard his uniform and basically told him off for his attitude.

Shock WOW that is just unbelievable! Hilarious actually. He's obviously got a bad case of Big Epaulette Syndrome. Pompous fucker.

Original poster
feellikeahugefailure · 03/03/2016 08:42

I'm sorry to hear of all these horrendous stories.

How would people feel about it if I started new site where these could be posted and shared more? Something we could link to when writing to MPs and get some more attention. I'm thinking of something to help highlight the failings of the current system. I'm thinking about www.jobcentreminus.com as the name

Is this a good idea? or have I got too much time on my hands? Could get the site up and running today

Totally agree with the citizens wage :)

OP posts:
Dawndonnaagain · 03/03/2016 08:57

Ponty have you actually read the thread?

BernardsarenotalwaysSaints · 03/03/2016 09:55

It's shocking the way they believe they can treat people!

My DH was questioned about why we had chosen to have DC3 when 'you don't work' (he was made redundant when she was 2 weeks old) & was sanctioned for attending an interview (he got the job).

I've signed on twice, once i only actually attended the initial interview as I was got offered a job later that week (that I'd applied for prior to signing on). The second time when I was about 25 weeks pregnant with DC1 I'd had a short term contract come to an end & my 2nd job was weather dependant & we were quite literally frozen in so was only working about 2 hours a week. They sent me on 12 useless courses & sanctioned me for being in hospital. I was so happy when I was able to start my MA claim.

The worst experience I've heard of however is my friends (now ex) DP being called in for an interview to asses his ability to work. He was involved in an horrific accident. On the system they had written 'broken leg'. I suppose technically his leg was broken...to the extent it had to be amputated! The interview was about a week before the op, so his leg was still in the cage with his flesh rotting, even the person interviewing him was shocked.

EponasWildDaughter · 03/03/2016 10:19

I've signed the petition.

One of my DDs was on JSA for a couple of months last year. They can see all your job seeking activity (or lack of it) via the website - there's no need to routinely drag every claimant in to waste hours cap-wringing in front of a desk.

She also got sanctioned for being unable to attend an appointment due to being 20 miles in the opposite direction in a JOB interview. FFS.

They were never any bloody help anyway. DD found her own job. It was the one she got sanctioned for having the interview for. Fabulous scheme Hmm

Dowser · 03/03/2016 10:34

Sounds like a good idea..feel like a failure but why not call it jobcentrecompaints.com

Minus sounds a bit meh! If you're going to do it, do it loudly and proudly. Put links to people's Mp's on it.

It makes my blood boil when people are treated badly.

I absolutely hate it. I'd end up getting thrown out of it I would, because I would be right on my high horse if anyone dared to treat me badly. I hate systems that grind others down. There's a tramp we pass often. Stands with a can and a fag near the water fountain. He's the colour of mahogany , looks like an old tree. I always give him a smile. He's someone's son after all.

boredofusername · 03/03/2016 10:35

I was on JSA 4 years ago for about 4 weeks. Fortunately I wasn't on it long enough to have to have regular meetings. They would have been at 1.50pm sharp each Monday. Our JSA isn't in the same town and I have a car, but if I had to reply on a bus I wouldn't get back in time to collect my son from school. When I pointed this out and made the point that I wasn't going to pay for childcare until I actually had a job they rolled their eyes at me.

But generally they've been ok with me, I've had a couple of very short spells on JSA between jobs, generally because I've felt that if I've paid into the system I am going to claim it and have already had a job to go to.

boredofusername · 03/03/2016 10:35

reply? I meant return.

boredofusername · 03/03/2016 10:42

what should we actually do with the unemployable?

If they need training and education, get them educated?

Dawndonnaagain · 03/03/2016 12:30

The Guardian, today.

HelenaDove · 03/03/2016 14:08

Whats the job swiggity? Whats the wage? Is there a guranteed no of hours every week.

Kreacherelf · 03/03/2016 14:50

My cousin has a double-first degree in English from Cambridge University. After finishing his degree, he signed on whilst he looked for work. His advisor told him that she had signed him up for basic math and literacy lessons. He told her that he had a double-first from Cambridge. She laughed and said, 'yeah right!'

He had to bring in his transcripts to prove it!

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 03/03/2016 15:02

The best thing to do which would really wind them up. Is to just be overly nice, smile and nod. I fully appreciate its much easier said than done, through
. As they're probably well definitely trying to get their clients riled into losing their temper, so they have the pleasure of sanctioning them.
I bet when they orgasm. They don't scream Yes yes yes
. They probably scream, Sanction!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lanark2 · 03/03/2016 15:11

Grin another good way to wind them up is have a notepad and remind them that this is the xth time they have started an interview late and in the real world it wouldn't be tolerated. This generates major eyerolling and sometimes desk thumping, which you can also write down in 'inappropriate behaviour' extra points if you can get them to flirt and mention their sexual harassment of you. Grin

bibliomania · 03/03/2016 15:31

Have signed the petition. Using sanctions in the way described on this thread is deeply immoral and should be illegal.

Original poster
feellikeahugefailure · 03/03/2016 15:37

Yes that name isnt great, especially as I always spell centre wrong.

How about www.realwelfare.com/ - so that it isn't just JSA but the shit situation of welfare atm

OP posts:
wornoutboots · 03/03/2016 16:40

they don't even advertise jobs to work in the Job Centre on their stupid universal jobmatch shite!

BlimeyCrikey · 03/03/2016 17:06

Iliveinahousewithaghost haha that's so me! I do that with people who are purposely awkward.

bigsnugglebunny · 03/03/2016 17:10

My DP - back when he was "signing on" asked his (useless) advisor just how unemployable you have to be before they give up and just give you a job as an advisor. I don't think it went down very well.

NewYearNewToads · 03/03/2016 19:00

Do people really get sanctioned for going to a job interview when it clashes with a job centre appointment?

I've heard of that happening before but I just find it so unbelievable. I mean, I do believe you when you say it but surely that can't be right.

So if you have a job interview which can't be rearranged and it clashes with your job centre appointment however you inform the job centre in advance and rearrange to sign on either before or after the interview they can still sanction you? Shock

NewYearNewToads · 03/03/2016 19:02

And what would happen if you didn't go to the interview and went to the job centre instead? Would they then sanction you for missing an interview

No matter what you do in that situation it looks like you're going to be sanctioned.

TheRegularShow · 03/03/2016 19:10

Newyear Yes people do get sanctioned for attending job interviews for a number of reasons

  1. you have to phone a number to rearrange your sign on date, the problem is it is very hard to get through. If you attend the interview and don't tell the jc beforehand you missing the sign on date the ball is already in motion to sanction you for a no show.

You then have to dispute the sanction and prove you attended an interview. This is all well if you get a written letter confirming the date. However as most interviews are arranged by phone it becomes trickier proving you have been to one.
A lot of big employers are getting sick of the jobcentre phoning up to check if people have turned up or not. If the employer doesn't for whatever reason confirm you have attended you are sanctioned.

  1. mistakes are made all the time even if you do inform them of an interview. You then have to prove you phoned up and who you spoke to as they always claim there is nothing on the system.
NewYearNewToads · 03/03/2016 19:18

Universal jobmatch is awful. I can't believe that job seekers are mandated to use it.

I've had a look on there a couple of times out of curiousity and searched for jobs in my area. The "jobs" that turned up in my search could be put into these three categories:

  • self employed catalogue delivery jobs
  • ads with vague job descriptions with no company name or employer name given and to top that off, no contact details (and I mean literally no contact details at all, no phone number, e-mail address, etc - you had to apply directly using the apply button on the website). Call me paranoid, but I would be wary of sending my CV to whoever posted an ad like that - how would I know where it's going?
  • blatant fake jobs e.g bar staff wanted, £30k a year! I can be really gulliable and stupid at times but even my eyebrows rise up and I go "hmmm..." when I see things like that.

Could they not have come up with something better?

Tabsicle · 03/03/2016 19:20

My OH was sanctioned for attending a job interview. It was on the same day as the first day of a workfare placement he'd been sent on and he was told he had to attend the first day and it was his responsibility to rearrange the job interview.

He got the job. And then got a stroppy letter saying that as he had signed off they couldn't do anything but this would affect his benefits if he tried to sign on again.