Mandatory work and just been issues contact in court!

[mom1983]

Posting on behalf of DP.
He has been signing on JSA income based for 8 months.
He was in court yesterday and was granted, finally, contact with his son who he has never been allowed contact with due to a his blocky ex being jealous of our relationship.
The court ordered he is to have regular contact in short spells, building up, and to then regular days of contact, all unsupervised.
Today a letter has arrived saying he must do 4 weeks 30 hours a week mandatory work 10-5pm!
He wouldn't have minded if it wasn't for this and was actually looking forward to getting out of the house, but its just typical that now contact even though it is court ordered, isn't going to be able to commence due to this work! He has already missed so much of his sons life.
Also then the mother is going to argue that ex should have thought of this, but the work starts on Tuesday and contact starts monday, and is over 3 days a week, in the day.
Can he postpone this mandatory work for a few weeks/months until the contact is less often, and the sessions longer? As contacts been ordered little and often right now. i.e x2 hours mon tue wed and the mandatory work is 10am-5pm mon to fri.
Also to point out - mother has requested in court I am not to be introduced for 3 months, so I cant even look after him, as previously suggested by the job centre.

Can't he see his son in the evenings, like every other mum or dad who works during the day?

the mother wants it in the day and the times and dates are listed in the court order. son is also young, and lives an over an hour away. so by the time DP gets there, son will be in bed.

I would be very careful here with the Jobcentre.

If he tells them his situation then they may turn around and say that as he is not available for work then he is not entitled to JSA.

Unfortunately you can't postpone mandatory work on JSA without being sanctioned (losing benefits) Usually a 10am to 5pm mandatory work contract mon to fri is because someone has said in their job seekers agreement they are available and searching for a job working those hours and are therefore considered available for those hours. You are also expected to be doing job seeking from 9am to 10am as you still have to look for work and attend interviews as well as the work to keep JSA.

It's a really hard situation to be in. The trouble is the job centre would very likely view this as him as not being available to work at all and stop benefits.

Im wonder what would have happened if he already had a job and this court order came through? After all he could get a full time job beginning tomorrow from job applications he has made (I know real life doesn't work like that but the job centre computer does!)

Can you contact your local citizens advice to find out your/his rights in this? I think the only allowable exception to postponing beginning mandatory work is having a part time job. Please don't contact the jobcentre to ask them. It's been awhile since I claiming JSA and I had all kinds of problems with them regarding me being available for work due to requiring hospital treatment (I didn't qualify for sickness benefits at that time).

It is only for 4 weeks. Could he not request weekends and eves for now or delay contact ?

Contact the court and explain the situation,and ask for the order to be varied.It may take another application, but the court should be able to advise.
They would probably expect him to have approached mother to negotiate different times first( or her solicitor if she has one.)
If he finishes at 5 and travel is one hour, he could possibly be there by 6? Would that be too late?

Contact the court and explain the situation,and ask for the order to be varied.It may take another application, but the court should be able to advise.
They would probably expect him to have approached mother to negotiate different times first( or her solicitor if she has one.)
If he finishes at 5 and travel is one hour, he could possibly be there by 6? Would that be too late?

Contact the court and explain the situation,and ask for the order to be varied.It may take another application, but the court should be able to advise.
They would probably expect him to have approached mother to negotiate different times first( or her solicitor if she has one.)
If he finishes at 5 and travel is one hour, he could possibly be there by 6? Would that be too late?

Could the mother bring the child to you, to meet you after work?
Mother's can't always have their own way - parents have to work.

Talk to his solicitor.

The court will vary the details.