Jobcentre Rant (long)

Dabode

This is just a rant regarding our local Jobcentre. My DH was made redundant 13 weeks ago after 40 years in the catering industry, the last 9 years at senior manager level and who has never ever claimed any kind of benefit in his life. He also suffers from peripheral neuropathy which has left him with minimal feeling in his hands so his days as a chef are gone since he would be a serious hazard to himself using knives etc. This however does not stop him being extremely good as a manager and troubleshooter.

Yesterday he was at the jobcentre for his 13 week interview where some snotty arrogant young female was interviewing him and said he must now lower his standards and apply for anything she deems appropriate. I should add that there hasn't been a week gone past that he hasn't been applying for jobs, ageism is indeed alive and well if you are 56.

She handed him a list of jobs, 3 in an industry he has no knowlege of but because they have manager in the title then they must be suitable :rolleyes: and another 3 which are chef manager jobs at just above minimum wage and they will take around 90 mins each way to get to.

He says that he has never felt so demeaned as he did while this young woman was talking to him as she smirked and told him that a 90 min commute each way for just above the minumum wage was in her mind acceptable despite him also pointing out that it is innapropriate for him to work as a chef.

I guess this is a rant about the whole demeaning process. He does voluntary work 2 days a week just to keep occupied, he studies and yet this dfemale who wasn't even born when he started working has the gall to sit and be sanctimonious and a proper jobsworth because he is claiming the grand sum of £64 a week which when this runs out he will get nothing as I also have worked all my life. There are families locally who are on their 3rd generation of unemployed and who are doing rather nicely thank you very much and who will happily admit that they have never had and never will have any intention of working :mad:

I don't suppose there is any purpose to this apart from getting it off my chest :mad::mad:

UnoriginalGuy_2

What exactly are you mad about?

JSP exist to get people off of JSA and back into work. Did you expect to turn up and having them tell you - "Just lay around until something ideal shows up?" He is a 50+ y/o Chef who due to disability can no longer be a Chef, he might have to look at other options.

PS - I found the ageism and rant about ageism in the same anecdote amusing. I assume you must have been aiming for irony.

Dabode

As I said, it was a rant about whe whole demeaning process. To be hoest I really don't give 2 hoots about the £60 odd as the main purpose of him signing on is to make sure his NI contributions are protected. What I was extremely angry about is the attitude of the female who dealt with him. He has no intention of laying around till something suitable comes along as you put it. I think that can be seen by the fat that he already does voluntary work. He has nopt been working as a chef for over 9 ye4ars now as my post says.

FYI Mr UnoriginalGuy, he has looked at many many other options and indeed applied for many other things

ankspon

You have my sympathy,my friend went through similar.
Back to work interview

seven-day-weekend

It is that young woman's job to get him off Jobseekers' Allowance and that is what she was attempting to do. What else is she supposed to do?

I do sympathise, and hope he gets something soon, but I don't quite understand what your rant is about.

busy_mom_2

The 'young woman' is only doing her job. We don't make the rules we just have to inforce them. I admit if her interview skills need some improvement her ASM ( adviser manager) needs to address this but what she actually told him is what the goverment lay out. Good luck in finding work though.

AlwaysWorking

I can understand where you're coming from. The first time I visited the jobcentre after being made redundant I was told to apply for minimum wage jobs up to 90 minutes away...at least your husband had 13 weeks to look for something more suitable. To show willing I applied for the jobs, but received rejection letters, presumably because I was over qualified and they wanted someone they thought would stay with them...which with that amount of travelling for minimum wage I couldn't afford to do. I'm now temping for a few weeks in a job similar to my old one....but at just above minimum wage....I guess they knew I was desperate enough to accept! :rotfl:

I hope your husband finds something soon.

wishface

UnoriginalGuy wrote: »

JSP exist to get people off of JSA and back into work.

The first part is true. Not so much the second.

Only about 15-20% of all current vacancies are known to the jobcentre (ie on their frankly laughable system). How they are in any position to tell people what they should be applying for and doing is therefore quite ludicrous.

One thing I will say about the OP is while sympathetic, please don't make the classic mistake of taking your frustration out on other unemployed people ('some people are on their third generation of unemployed'). They aren't responsible for the way the government and its agents act.

liney

How dare you.

What exactly makes you superior to the hardwork working Refuse Collectors or Care Workers who look after our eldery?

seven-day-weekend

If you can do them you take them. They are both good honest jobs of work. There is nothing to stop you looking for another job whilst you are in work.

seven-day-weekend

And then you would lose your benefit.