Threatening to stop my JSA, non applying for a job

laurenweird

I just had to sign up and say something as this has also happened to us. In our case, my partner had asked for a number for a job on the offchance they had other jobs going (as the one advertised he did not qualify for) They took this to mean he was applying to that particular job.

When he did not, they supsended pay and we are currently in that situation until the end of January. We have sent an appeal but are still waiting to hear back and have been told not to apply for hardship until we know one way or another what is happening.

We have two children to look after, so things are very tight for us at the moment. Luckily, I've always been quite good with money but this is a real pain when we try so hard to look for a job. Feel punished for trying our best. It is horrible.

kitschkitty

laurenweird wrote: »

I just had to sign up and say something as this has also happened to us. In our case, my partner had asked for a number for a job on the offchance they had other jobs going (as the one advertised he did not qualify for) They took this to mean he was applying to that particular job.

When he did not, they supsended pay and we are currently in that situation until the end of January. We have sent an appeal but are still waiting to hear back and have been told not to apply for hardship until we know one way or another what is happening.

We have two children to look after, so things are very tight for us at the moment. Luckily, I've always been quite good with money but this is a real pain when we try so hard to look for a job. Feel punished for trying our best. It is horrible.

Sorry to hear this, it's awful.

Also the jobncentre told me when I asked (but not my OH) that if you claim hardship they won't pay for the 1st 2 weeks of your sanction period anyway.

This time of year is always hard, but the jobcentre have made it worse this year.

We have been trying to stop living off our overdraft as Lloyds will be charging a £5 flat fee every month from December, but this has been a huge setback to us.

frank_begbie

I had my JSA suspended for 21 weeks because I didn't apply for a certain job. After appeal I got it reduced to 4 weeks, but in the meanwhile I applied and received the hardship allowance.
I think it was about 70% of my JSA.

They can't leave you with nothing at all, especially if you have children.

dookar

kitschkitty wrote: »

My jobseekers agreement states I will apply for 4 vacancies per week and if there is nothing available I will contact employers not currently advertising. I will keep a written record....... I will visit my local jobcentre plus office/call jobseeker direct/look on jobcentreplus website twice a week.


So mine does state vacancies as well as steps I must take.

Yes, I've said many, many times - advisers don't understand Jobseeker's Agreements.

This wouldn't stand up in law. If you apply for three and they refer you the will get a telling off.

dookar

frank_begbie wrote: »

The government are creating a climate of fear at every job centre.

Threatening to stop peoples money for the slightest mistake.

Its all to put pressure onto people to take any job, even if its not suitable.

Don't be silly.

kitschkitty wrote: »

Of course it can't state they must be written down as this would discriminate against those who are illiterate, but if you haven't kept a record of any kind, then you need a darn good memory to provide a list of employers and their specific vacancies that you applied for if the JC advisor asks.

Also the fact that adjudicators refer back to the advisor (or what have you) regarding what the client has done is down the the sanction claim not being specific enough. So in the case of proving you applied for a specific position it's different anyway.

I don't understand the second paragraph. As for the first, agreed. I was just saying you can't be told you have to write it down. I've known people remember the employers and phone numbers

dookar

laurenweird wrote: »

I just had to sign up and say something as this has also happened to us. In our case, my partner had asked for a number for a job on the offchance they had other jobs going (as the one advertised he did not qualify for) They took this to mean he was applying to that particular job.

When he did not, they supsended pay and we are currently in that situation until the end of January. We have sent an appeal but are still waiting to hear back and have been told not to apply for hardship until we know one way or another what is happening.

We have two children to look after, so things are very tight for us at the moment. Luckily, I've always been quite good with money but this is a real pain when we try so hard to look for a job. Feel punished for trying our best. It is horrible.

Wait, he found the job himself? On a job point? And then he took it to the adviser for more info? Have you told them this?

The law is very clear on this. The vacancy must be notified to the jobseeker by an employment officer.

kitschkitty

dookar wrote: »

I don't understand the second paragraph. As for the first, agreed. I was just saying you can't be told you have to write it down. I've known people remember the employers and phone numbers

Sorry, I wasn't very clear there, what I was trying to say is that some advisors are wasting adjudicators time by not being specific enough when putting forward a case. As we do have to concede some people don't fulfil their jobseekers agreements and so there must be sanctions in place for them. Also some advisors need to know better about what constitutes fulfilling the individuals agreement.

But that's not relevant to a case as per the OP & my OH & others where they have been accused of not applying for a specific position.

dookar

kitschkitty wrote: »

Sorry, I wasn't very clear there, what I was trying to say is that some advisors are wasting adjudicators time by not being specific enough when putting forward a case. As we do have to concede some people don't fulfil their jobseekers agreements and so there must be sanctions in place for them. Also some advisors need to know better about what constitutes fulfilling the individuals agreement.

But that's not relevant to a case as per the OP & my OH & others where they have been accused of not applying for a specific position.

Okay, I'm with you now. I agree.

laurenweird

dookar wrote: »

Wait, he found the job himself? On a job point? And then he took it to the adviser for more info? Have you told them this?

The law is very clear on this. The vacancy must be notified to the jobseeker by an employment officer.

It was at a jobpoint yes. He couldn't apply for the actual job that was listed but has asked for a number to ring to see if they had any other jobs he could do on the offchance (like admin work) and they put him down as applying for that job (which he never realised they had done). So obviously when he didn't they've took us off.

We've sent an appeal explaining it all, but yet to hear back (been over three week now) Does anyone know when you shoyld be hearing back??

And we were later told that a first "offence" should only give a sanction of two or four week, but we've been automatically put on a three month suspension! I am so confused by all this

dookar

laurenweird wrote: »

It was at a jobpoint yes. He couldn't apply for the actual job that was listed but has asked for a number to ring to see if they had any other jobs he could do on the offchance (like admin work) and they put him down as applying for that job (which he never realised they had done). So obviously when he didn't they've took us off.

We've sent an appeal explaining it all, but yet to hear back (been over three week now) Does anyone know when you shoyld be hearing back??

And we were later told that a first "offence" should only give a sanction of two or four week, but we've been automatically put on a three month suspension! I am so confused by all this

I believe this is an error and not supported by the law.

It's a sanction of discretionary length, not a fixed period sanction