Annoyed with JSA...

aj2703

busy_mom wrote: »

Ok, basically jobcentre have rules to abide by. When you made your claim you would of stated what hours you are available to work and if the interviews are within that time you risk losing your benefit if you don't attend when you have been given more than 24 hours notice.
If you are saying you are only available between school hour you need to attend the interview and get your jobseekers agreement changed to the times you are available but bear in mind you may then have to consider other job goals that you can do in that time that you state you can work. The two must match ie retail work but no weekends wouldn't go.
As for signing times these must then be in the hours you are available. Attend the office and speak to the adviser in the interview. Provided you can prove you are doing your jobearch and not restricting yourself they will help you, thats what we are there to do. But please remember we have rules to follow.

No i am not saying i am only avaliable to work within school hours. Read my origional post again please.

I dunno how much more clearly i can say this.

WHAT I CAN DO.

1. I am avaliable to work anytime.
2. I can sign on at a set time as long as the time isn't within the school pickup/dropoff times as i have to deal with the kids. Also bear in mind that the jobcentre is 10 miles away in Ryde, i am in Shanklin so i have to travel to the jobcentre too.
3. The jobcentre gave me a 11.25am sign on slot time to accomodate this.
4. If i get an interview i can arrange for my partner to deal with the kids should the interview time clash with the school run. This is not a regular occurance as i don't get an interview every two weeks. So every now and again won't cause her problems at work.

WHAT I CAN'T DO.

1. I can't be in two places at once.
2. Expect my partner to be able to take a few hours off work every Wednesday so i can go and sign on.
3.Pay for the children to go into school club so i can sign on.


I am fully flexibile with my avaliability for work etc. This does not come into it at all.

My problem arrises with what the advisor told me today. IE my sign on times after my 6 month review meeting when i next sign on WILL NOT be set. It will change to a different time, each time i sign on. I said well what if it is at 3pm you want me to sign how can i sign on when i am picking my kids up. She basically said tough. I asked if i could have the next sign on time changed from 3.40. She said why, i said well if the kids don't get out of school ontime it will be difficult to get here as i have to drive 10 miles from the school, park the car then walk half a mile or so to the jobcentre. She went and spoke to her supervisor and came back and said these times are set, there is no flexibility in it so the answer was no. She tried to get cocky and said what would you do if you were offered a job tomorrow. I said i'd ring the school club and make an arrangement for them to attend on a regular basis while i am at work. I said i couldn't do this while i sign on as we get financial help with the cost when working and the school club can't be flexibile with having the kids. They only have them for set times. This is so they can do the staff rotas and make sure there is adequate cover.

This is my trouble. If the time is not set outside of the times i pickup/dropoff the kids how can i possibily sign on. I am not gonna abandon the kids now am i..?.

aj2703

daska wrote: »

Surely the cc and loan companies will be receiving the payments, not the OP? And I can understand the frustration that people have assumed that the pre and after school care is free.

FWIW central Shanklin to the JCP can take 10 minutes if you're lucky or it can take 40 for no apparent reason, the job centre is on the one way system and there is no easy parking nearby.

You'd have to be travelling at 2am and run quicker then linford christie to get to ryde jobcentre in 10 minutes. And that is on your own without the kids.

busy_mom_2

aj2703 wrote: »

No i am not saying i am only avaliable to work within school hours. Read my origional post again please.

I dunno how much more clearly i can say this.

WHAT I CAN DO.

1. I am avaliable to work anytime.
2. I can sign on at a set time as long as the time isn't within the school pickup/dropoff times as i have to deal with the kids. Also bear in mind that the jobcentre is 10 miles away in Ryde, i am in Shanklin so i have to travel to the jobcentre too.
3. The jobcentre gave me a 11.25am sign on slot time to accomodate this.
4. If i get an interview i can arrange for my partner to deal with the kids should the interview time clash with the school run. This is not a regular occurance as i don't get an interview every two weeks. So every now and again won't cause her problems at work.

WHAT I CAN'T DO.

1. I can't be in two places at once.
2. Expect my partner to be able to take a few hours off work every Wednesday so i can go and sign on.
3.Pay for the children to go into school club so i can sign on.


I am fully flexibile with my avaliability for work etc. This does not come into it at all.

My problem arrises with what the advisor told me today. IE my sign on times after my 6 month review meeting when i next sign on WILL NOT be set. It will change to a different time, each time i sign on. I said well what if it is at 3pm you want me to sign how can i sign on when i am picking my kids up. She basically said tough. I asked if i could have the next sign on time changed from 3.40. She said why, i said well if the kids don't get out of school ontime it will be difficult to get here as i have to drive 10 miles from the school, park the car then walk half a mile or so to the jobcentre. She went and spoke to her supervisor and came back and said these times are set, there is no flexibility in it so the answer was no. She tried to get cocky and said what would you do if you were offered a job tomorrow. I said i'd ring the school club and make an arrangement for them to atten on a regular basis while i am at work. i said i couldn't do this while i sign on as we get financial help with the cost and they school club can't be flexibile with having the kids. They only have them for set times. This is so they can do the staff rotas and make sure there is adequate cover.

This is my trouble. If the time is not set outside of the times i pickup/dropoff the kids how can i possibily sign on. I am not gonna abandon the kids now am i..?.

I am trying to explain to you that as you have stated on your jobseekers agreement what times you are available for work the jobcentre is perfectly within its right to ask you to attend at any time as long as they give you 24 hours notice.

No one is suggesting you abandon your kids but if you don't attend you risk losing your benefit. And before you add another coment I know you are not getting benefit but if claim is disallowed so will your insurance claim. All a decision maker will look at is the times you have stated on you agreement and the notice JCP gave you. That is all. You will only sign weekly for 6 weeks then back to every two weeks. My office signs between 9am and 8pm so anyone available between those times has to sign between those times.

Why do you think i am trying to be sarcastic? i have read your post and trying to help.

If things are so hard with your signing arrangements have you agreement set within school times and then when you find a job you can make your childcare arrangements?

The adviser is following the rules and I am trying to hep

aj2703

busy_mom wrote: »

I am trying to explain to you that as you have stated on your jobseekers agreement what times you are available for work the jobcentre is perfectly within its right to ask you to attend at any time as long as they give you 24 hours notice.

No one is suggesting you abandon your kids but if you don't attend you risk losing your benefit. And before you add another coment I know you are not getting benefit but if claim is disallowed so will your insurance claim. All a decision maker will look at is the times you have stated on you agreement and the notice JCP gave you. That is all. You will only sign weekly for 6 weeks then back to every two weeks. My office signs between 9am and 8pm so anyone available between those times has to sign between those times.

Why do you think i am trying to be sarcastic? i have read your post and trying to help.

If things are so hard with your signing arrangements have you agreement set within school times and then when you find a job you can make your childcare arrangements?

The adviser is following the rules and I am trying to hep

Yes i do understand and i appreciate your help. I stated i can work at anytime, but i also stated that i cannot sign on at certain times because i have children and i HAVE to take/pick them up from school. Because of this the jobcentre arranged for a sign on time of 11.25 so i would have more then enough time to deal with the kids then make my way to ryde and sign on.

As dooker said i can apparently state that i can't attend the jc at certain times and have this written into my agreement and it won't affect my claim. When i first wrote the post i was not aware of this. The impression i got was that there was no flexibility and if my sign on time was 3pm i have to be there. Even if it ment leaving the kids.

How stupid is that, i mean how many single parents are there who claim. how the heck can they sign on at 9am or 3pm if they have you children to pick up. There must be some flexibility there with regards to people who have kids.

You work at the JC then..?. Why have they introduced sign on times that change each sign on time. Didn't anyone think this would cause problems with people who have young children that attend school.


I also wonder what people on the island do with kids who sign on would do if they didn't have the luxury of a car. I mean i reckon it would take an hour to get to ryde jobcentre by bus and at least 45 minutes by train

pipkin71

Wouldn't it be easier for the job centre to simply offer a sign on time during school hours?

I understand about the times being available for work, but if there is no free childcare for the sign on time that has been given, why would the job centre want to make it difficult for the OP?

Surely it would be better for anyone who has childcare issues to be accomodated within school hours

aj2703

pipkin71 wrote: »

Wouldn't it be easier for the job centre to simply offer a sign on time during school hours?

I understand about the times being available for work, but if there is no free childcare for the sign on time that has been given, why would the job centre want to make it difficult for the OP?

Surely it would be better for anyone who has childcare issues to be accomodated within school hours

I agree. that is what i said. She said after six months, a set time stops and it's a time given to you each time you then sign on which would be a different time each time.

But as dooker said he/she reckons if i speak to someone else i can change my agreement to stipulate i am not avaliable at certain times because of my children. Weather this relates to the new rules or not i am not sure. I will go into the JC and speak to someone more senior tomorrow.

pipkin71

aj2703 wrote: »

I agree. that is what i said. She said after six months, a set time stops and it's a time given to you each time you then sign on which would be a different time each time.

But as dooker said he/she reckons if i speak to someone else i can change my agreement to stipulate i am not avaliable at certain times because of my children. Weather this relates to the new rules or not i am not sure. I will go into the JC and speak to someone more senior tomorrow.

That's a good idea.

I read through after I posted and saw what had been suggested.

Do go in and see what they say. Hopefully, you will then have a sign on time during school hours, instead of having to worry about sorting childcare.

Good luck - and in your job search too

busy_mom_2

aj2703 wrote: »

Yes i do understand and i appreciate your help. I stated i can work at anytime, but i also stated that i cannot sign on at certain times because i have children and i HAVE to take/pick them up from school. Because of this the jobcentre arranged for a sign on time of 11.25 so i would have more then enough time to deal with the kids then make my way to ryde and sign on.

As dooker said i can apparently state that i can't attend the jc at certain times and have this written into my agreement and it won't affect my claim. When i first wrote the post i was not aware of this. The impression i got was that there was no flexibility and if my sign on time was 3pm i have to be there. Even if it ment leaving the kids.

How stupid is that, i mean how many single parents are there who claim. how the heck can they sign on at 9am or 3pm if they have you children to pick up. There must be some flexibility there with regards to people who have kids.

You work at the JC then..?. Why have they introduced sign on times that change each sign on time. Didn't anyone think this would cause problems with people who have young children that attend school.

Yes i do work at JCP, I am an adviser manager and things have changed in the last few years.

Single parents or parents with parental responsibility can limit or set the hours they are available to work so there is flexibility. If someone states they are only available between 9.30 and 2.30 and have reasons why this is accepted all the appointments are within this time including signing times. If for any reason they are not no decision maker would ever disallow benefit for failing to attend. Since the change to the income support rules more lone parents are now claiming JSA so these rules are more flexible than ever.

Signing times vary, not at every office all the time, but to check people are available for work at all the times they state. Jobcentre are struggling to fit every one in in their opening times. I work at an office that has more than doubled its register in the last 18 mnths we are now open between 9 and 8pm 3 days a week and we sign and interview within thiese times but still finding it hard to fit everyone in.

I am also a working mom, my husband also works full time I know it's not easy. As I said I suggest you change your agreement at your review, carry on with your jobsearch and fingers crossed for the new year.:beer:

aj2703

busy_mom wrote: »

Yes i do work at JCP, I am an adviser manager and things have changed in the last few years.

Single parents or parents with parental responsibility can limit or set the hours they are available to work so there is flexibility. If someone states they are only available between 9.30 and 2.30 and have reasons why this is accepted all the appointments are within this time including signing times. If for any reason they are not no decision maker would ever disallow benefit for failing to attend. Since the change to the income support rules more lone parents are now claiming JSA so these rules are more flexible than ever.

Signing times vary, not at every office all the time, but to check people are available for work at all the times they state. Jobcentre are struggling to fit every one in in their opening times. I work at an office that has more than doubled its register in the last 18 mnths we are now open between 9 and 8pm 3 days a week and we sign and interview within thiese times but still finding it hard to fit everyone in.

I am also a working mom, my husband also works full time I know it's not easy. As I said I suggest you change your agreement at your review, carry on with your jobsearch and fingers crossed for the new year.:beer:

So i can then tell the JC that i am FULLY felxibile with regard to my work times. I mean i can a workfulltime job, the times arn't a problem as they would go into care. But i can state to them that while i am unemployed i am NOT fully flexibile with regard to the times i can sign on because i have to pick my kids up from school and they would accept this and make the necessary adjustments to my sign on times(even with the new rules) .?

busy_mom_2

aj2703 wrote: »

So i can then tell the JC that i am FULLY felxibile with regard to my work times. I mean i can a workfulltime job, the times arn't a problem as they would go into care. But i can state to them that while i am unemployed i am NOT fully flexibile with regard to the times i can sign on because i have to pick my kids up from school and they would accept this and make the necessary adjustments to my sign on times(even with the new rules) .?

Sort of... The times you are available to sign have to match the times on your agreement so you state you are currently available to work between ... and .... these are the times you would be required to attend and be available. You can carry on looking at jobs to work whatever times you want to work. That way no decision maker will ever be able to disallow you claim. Lone parents, or people with parental responsibility only have to be available for 16 hours per week so we set their agreement at this, if they choose to take a job at 20 hours, up to them.
This fits the rules, you are doing nothing wrong. Does this make sense.