ESA Pathway to work interview.

Robert_Hopkins

Remember Jobcentre staff are not medical professionals so who are they to decide whether you are fit for a work focused interview,

lyndac40

Hi Robert.

I have been intouch with a DEA at my local job centre unfortunatly she has gone of sick so it seems to be stalemate at the moment. The thing is I like my job and would love to be able to keep it. Every time I go in for a meeting with them they keep going on about the needs of the company. I have been off work for about 34 weeks now and might have to be off for another 24 to 30 weeks. I dont see what differance it makes to them as they are no longer paying me. It justs means they cant take someone on to fill my post until I am able to return to work.

Uncertain

lyndac40 wrote: »

Hi Robert.

I have been intouch with a DEA at my local job centre unfortunatly she has gone of sick so it seems to be stalemate at the moment. The thing is I like my job and would love to be able to keep it. Every time I go in for a meeting with them they keep going on about the needs of the company. I have been off work for about 34 weeks now and might have to be off for another 24 to 30 weeks. I dont see what differance it makes to them as they are no longer paying me. It justs means they cant take someone on to fill my post until I am able to return to work.

Due to the recent court judgement they are of course obliged to pay you for 5.6 weeks holiday per year even if you have been off sick for the rest of the time.

Although this is good news for many people the downside is that there is now a cost to keeping somebody on the books even if they are getting no pay.

Robert_Hopkins

The role of the Disabillity Employment Adviser is to help people find and retain employment. They can deal with Jobseekers Allowance claimants who are disabled, people on incapacity related benefits and people who are in work.

I signed on in June 2000 and signed off to go on ESA in July 2009. In that time they could not find a disabled graduate a job.

healy

Uncertain wrote: »

If only......

My experience, when in exactly the same position as the OP, was that I had to go along to the "provider" each month and see a long suffering but very pleasant lady. She gave me coffee, filled in her endless forms and apologised at regular intervals about the whole stupid waste of both our time. She told me she had no discretion to waive these meetings.

At least in my case it was less than a mile from home but what a terrible waste of resources.

I did not say anything about the interviews being waived, but they certainly can be deferred especially when someone is still employed.

lyndac40

hi Robert,

I accrue my holidays over the year so even if I am not working are they still obliged to pay me them. I lost 3 weeks holiday last year as I could not take them while I was being paid SSP. Our hoildays go from Dec to Dec. I also had 25 hours in lieu I had saved up for when I was going to have my operation last year but this did not happen so will I have lost that as well. x

lyndac40

Hi Everyone,

Just a wee up date to let you know how pathway to work interview went.

Went through everthing withe the interviewer dosn't make any differance that I am still employed. As I am claiming ESA I still have to attend. I asked the interviewer who on earth is going to employ someone for 12 or 13 weeks then wait for them to recover from an operation and return to work she agreed with me that is unlikely to happen.
I have to got for a ATOS medical assessment on the 9th April I am not sure what this involves I am wating for the letter to come. ANy advice would be gratefully recieved.

Thank you

Lynda x

Robert_Hopkins

Remember even though it is compulsory to attend these joke pathway to work interviews remember that personal advisers can use their discretion and defer these interviews to a later date. Every time you get these summonses through your door, think of a reason why it would be difficult for you to attend such as currently on medical treatment with huge side effects (this can be simply taking tablets which could cause you to feel unwell). Jobcentre personal advisers are not medical experts so they are not in a position to judge whether you are fit or not to be interviewed. If every ESA Claimant rang up and wanted a deferal the system will be in breakdown. I would be interested in the government statistics on attendance rates at these interviews plus the success rates of getting people into jobs.

Robert_Hopkins

Dear Lyndoc 40,

The Atos Medicals for ESA is the Work Capability Assessment and it is divided into three parts:-

The Limited Capability for Work and the Limited Capability for Work Related Activity are in the Preston area all done in one session. The first aims to identify basic eligibility for ESA and you have to score at least 15 points and you are assessed by functional descriptors. The second aims to identify once you have enough points whether to put you in the support group or the work related activity group.

The final part is the Work Focused Health Related Activity Assessment which is not used to determine ESA eligibility and it is done in a seperate session if you are assigned to the Work Related Activity Group. It is basically a report for the Jobcentre Personal Adviser for use in work focused interviews.

yellowduck_2

My report said i would be "work ready" in 6 months time and that I needed to boost my confidence, I have actually got worse recently. Have just had to do another form to assess my capability for work and will no doubt be called for another medical, dreading it, they reduced me to tears last time I was there. I am also wondering where these jobs are if I am found capable of working, I have friends who are well and are really stuggling to find work after being made redundant. If they boot the majoriity off IB and turn down most of the ESA claims what will this do to the unemployment figures?