DWP Contract

DizzyP

Hi
I've been offered a post with the DWP at Jobcentre plus, it's only a 3 month contract though, does anyone know why it would be such a short contract and is this usual?
Thanks

Conor_3

I'm going for a similar vacancy. I suspect it's so that if you don't come up to scratch, they can get shut of you quicker. Also, I think that it might have something to do with the fiasco over the last year or two where they laid a load of staff off and it cost a fair few bob and now have found they need them. It's hard to predict staffing level requirements and 3 month contracts give them some flexibility.

I'm fine with that. The worst that happens is I get offered the job and only do 3 months. That takes me nicely until work historically picks up again in haulage.

redz

Conor wrote: »

I'm going for a similar vacancy. I suspect it's so that if you don't come up to scratch, they can get shut of you quicker.

It is. All "casuals" are initially given a 3 month contract which can be extended to up to 50 weeks. If it's a Fixed Term Appointment this can be extended for a longer period.

clairec79

Yep, they've done it for ages - I had a 3 month contract when I finished my Alevels - I resigned when I was 26 (2 promotions later). I think I had 2 extensions of similar periods then a FTA of 18 months then made permanent. But the majority of people who started on casual contracts ended up permenent (but that was a few years back) but noone started permanent

DizzyP

Thanks very much for all your replies

DizzyP

Another question I have is, if I start work next Monday, 8th Dec, would I be paid at the end of December for the couple of weeks I had worked or would I have to wait until end of Jan?

redz

Civil servants are normally paid on the last working day of the month. You should get paid on New Year's Eve. You can also apply to have mid-monthly advances of your salary for the first six months which may help you.

applecharlotte

If it's a casual contract there is no possibility of being made permanent. If it's fixed term it is possible you might might be made permanent. The idea of taking on casuals and fixed terms is because especially with jobcentre plus customer demand rises and falls significantly - the economic crisis at the moment has led to a huge increase in people claiming jsa, and so more staff are needed , certainly in the short term, and casuals are usually taken on around xmas as january is the busiest month for new claims.

Which part of JCP will you be working for? And yes you will get paid at the end of december, with the possibility of a mid monthly advance

dblue75

There is every chance you will get kept on. as prev people stated easier to get rid of if you are NOT up to scratch. Also it is down to not paying pensions conts for you !!! I know, i worked there for 14 yrs before moving onto another dept.

Go for it, you have nothing to lose. Your payday is the last working day of the month.

You will prob end up on a fixed term contract, then made permanent. Hope thats answers youe questions. Any more please feel free to ask or PM me.

DizzyP

I will be working in the actual Job Centre, seeing people when they come to sign on, etc.
I'm fairly sure it's a fixed term contract, not a casual one.
I'd applied for the post a while ago and then been put on their waiting list. Last week they rang and said there was a 3 month contract available at a different job centre than I had applied for and would I like to take it

clairec79

those of us who have worked for DWP have a different sense of casual contract and fixed term, casual is for less than a certain period (12 or 15 months) and has no pension attached, fixed term is for longer and you are part of the pension scheme. They are both still for a set length of time