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AIBU?

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Original poster

Universal Credit - is this right? AIBU

29 replies

anyusernamesnotused · 01/10/2019 18:25

I have a colleague (single parent) who has just been moved onto universal credit. Youngest child is 3 so they need to look for work (fair enough they were expecting that and happy to do so).

My colleague has been told that when they go to their weekly meetings their phone will have to be handed over and they will check to see which websites they have looked at/ emails sent and calls made. This is to prove they have searched for a minimum of 16 hours a week.

My question is can they/do they really make you hand over your phone?

It seems such a personal item! Or AIBU?

OP posts:
LemonPrism · 01/10/2019 18:26

I don't know if that's procedure but that sounds illegal. Surely she can just produce a log? What if she used a laptop?

I wouldn't want them accessing my personal info

kitk · 01/10/2019 18:27

That doesn't sound right... I thought this was evidenced by applying for x amount of jobs, time with job centre advisor etc

IdontKnow01 · 01/10/2019 18:27

No but she has to show proof, screenshots, interview information, a written log, I used to show my indeed applications and provide a list of local places i’d given my CV. They definitely can’t take her phone

MrsMaiselsMuff · 01/10/2019 18:27

They cannot make you, but it's not the first time I've heard it. There are also multiple reports of claimants being told to give passwords for email and job sites.

It's disgraceful.

Winsomelosesome · 01/10/2019 18:28

If she's your colleague then surely she already has a job? Confused

MrsMaiselsMuff · 01/10/2019 18:29

I thought this was evidenced by applying for x amount of jobs

That used to be the case. They expect far more detail now. Claimants without caring responsibilities have to document how they job seek for 35 hours a week.

BeeFarseer · 01/10/2019 18:33

@Winsomelosesome They may be employed now, but not working enough hours. I'm simplifying it, but some people on Universal Credit are expected to work for at least 35 hours per week at minimum wage. If someone isn't meeting that, they'd be expected to demonstrate they were looking for a job at the expected hours and wage level.

Passthecherrycoke · 01/10/2019 18:37

Jobtmnnn

Passthecherrycoke · 01/10/2019 18:38

Woops! No they can’t tell from your phone if you’ve been looking for jobs can they?

Musereader · 01/10/2019 18:50

No she does not need to hand over her phone, some people chose to but if she can provide evidence by posting to the journal or using the jobsearch tab.

With a 3 year old she will be expected to job search for 16 hours only, if she already does 16 hours she won't be expected to do any job search - she could be on it for the child element and childcare top ups.

lovemenorca · 01/10/2019 18:53

For whatever reason, your colleague is fibbing.

Categorically she is incorrect

MutedUser · 01/10/2019 18:56

As someone else said she is your colleague so already has a job no?

megletthesecond · 01/10/2019 18:57

If she's working she already has a job.

Making her change employers will mean she loses her parental leave quota and won't have full employment rights for two years. I despair.

YDraig · 01/10/2019 19:00

No if she’s on universal credit she’ll have an online “diary” she can update daily or just before her weekly appt with everything she’s applied for, where she’s handed in cv’s and what exactly she’s done to look for work. It’s very strict but no she can’t be made to hand her phone over!!

YDraig · 01/10/2019 19:01

Also I don’t think colleague is fibbing not the first time I’ve heard them asking for this kind of stuff as well as reed log in details and other sensitive stuff. Still wouldn’t oblige!

ChinChinPassMeTheGin · 01/10/2019 19:12

I’m on universal credit and you don’t have meetings.. everything is done by a log on your online journal. My child is 8 months and I didn’t need to look for work as you don’t need to work until your child is 5, but I did (UC money is shite and needing to get back into my fast paced work I enjoy my work). But everything is logged basically the only time you see someone is the first time you apply for UC when you go to the job centre to prove you are who you are etc

Doingtheboxerbeat · 01/10/2019 19:14

My 'job coach' said she would not be requiring evidence but she said others might.
But she happened to leave just as I started a short term temp job (which has ended) and I have not had an appointment since.
I have created a folder on my phone for all job applications and I have email evidence from agencies etc.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 01/10/2019 19:16

ChinChin you do have to have meetings once your child reaches a certain age and you are expected to look for work. You would have been exempt from those as your child was 8 months but when they require you to job search you do have to go in for meetings.

HelenaDove · 01/10/2019 19:22

Wait till your colleugue has to attend a JC meeting in work time. (She will have to go or risk a sanction) and your employer will need to allow for that if he/she cant provide more hours.

Original poster
anyusernamesnotused · 01/10/2019 19:23

Hi all
Thanks for the responses.
Colleague - yes but not for enough hours, still in training so mostly voluntary and shes been told this doesn't count towards the hours (although another 'job coach' thought that might not be the case).
She's not fibbing.
My issue is that surely your phone doesn't just have your info on it, it might have text messages from colleagues/friends/ family etc.
Apparently they want to check her search history. She does also have to fill out and online diary.
I think I will suggest that she leaves her phone at home!

OP posts:
Stressedout10 · 01/10/2019 19:23

@ChinChinPassMeTheGin
The 5 year old thing is only on tax credits as you are on UC you will be expected to start looking for a job as soon as your DC is 2

swingofthings · 01/10/2019 19:25

She has to show evidence. In our modern world where we do almost everything via our phones, that's where it is. She will therefore have to show that evidence via her phone.

She won't be forced to, she won't have to give them the phone against her will, she won't be made to leave the room whilst they look at her photos!!!!

ChinChinPassMeTheGin · 01/10/2019 19:27

That’s odd.. I was told by my case worker when I messaged to talk about how I document looking for work (I moved area when I had my baby) they told me I didn’t need to work until my child was 5.. very confused now as this applied to my friend on UC too she had to look for work once her DC turned 5. Maybe it is different as we live in NI?

Stressedout10 · 01/10/2019 20:07

@chinchin
If you check the UC rules you will see that at age 2 you have work focused interviews and work perp (work programs)
At age 3 you need to be employed for 16 hours
At age 5 it's 32 hours of work

HelenaDove · 01/10/2019 20:46

Yet again laws of data protection dont seem to apply to certain organisations.