Mistreated at job centre - filing a complaint.

donnajunkie

dmg24 wrote: »

I asked if you had considered if this was the reason why you are unemployed. I did not say that it was. Something to consider!

ok, but there was no need for it to be said. i said them fulfilling their agreement meant they shouldnt be threatened with loss of benefit. you either agree with that or you dont.
i dont think they are workshy. if anything they show poor judgement by not doing more. should that mean they get sanctioned? i dont think so. what should have happened is the jobcentre worker in a polite way should have said i know you are fulfiling your agreement but perhaps you should consider trying to do more as the competition for jobs is massive at the moment.

Sammyantha

red_devil wrote: »

my jc told me to apply for 3 jobs a week dont they realise everyone else will be applying too?????

You don't need to apply, just complete actions towards looking for a job i.e. read the jobs section in the local paper, look at the jobcentre website etc.

They treat everyone like this. They're on low wages and most came from the dole themselves. They spend day in, day out speaking to people who really DON'T want to work, who are abusive, and who haven't got a clue what a newspaper is. Eventually there comes a point where each person who comes in to sign, blurs into one. Unfortunately you just need to toe the line.. hop in, hop out, and for anything more involved, use the jobcentre plus website linked above

SevenOfNine

In our area we have 1 JC which is supposedly awful and 1 which is OK. I opted to visit the one where the staff are OK. Can you switch to a different one?

You must fill out the 'diary' fully. I made a commitment at my first JC interview to check certain papers every week plus 1 website. I aways listed this in the diary, plus all the other websites I'd visited. I also listed every bit of training (CV/applications/interview skills) I'd been on plus a fortnightly job club I went to. IMO all that counted to my 'job search'.

I put down every CV/application I sent off - granted, if there were some jobs I didn't really want I sent a rather bog standard CV & no covering letter (particularly to the positions the JC suggested I apply for), so little chance of being shortlisted. Every employment agency I was registered with went down there too.

I only had 1 'snotty' encounter when signing on. She said "haven't you had any interviews", my response in a more subtle 'snotty' tone was - "Yes, 5 (true), but I'm [EMAIL="!!!!"]!!!![/EMAIL] at being interviewed so haven't been successful, but I've had some training now and I'm improving each time".

Your experience mirrors that of many others, the trick is not to be defensive, to be subtle when being 'snotty' back, do note as much as possible in the diary, even stick down that you checked this or that noticeboard, & there's nothing to stop you putting half a dozen websites you've looked at - even when you haven't! Mention networking, checked with the neighbour/friend about jobs at their place of work etc

You don't have to supply evidence of all this, but you must have a full diary - however tiresome it becomes. I think sometimes mine had so much listed the advisor couldn't be bothered to read it, the guy who I usually saw just signed the bottom, told me to sign a form and let me go, usually took 2 minutes.

Took 5 months, I 'signed on' for 3 of those and I got the job at interview number 6 (with interview number 7 lined up). I think it might help you if you asked the JC what training they can offer to help you in your job search - & take it.

You must be seen to be seriously looking, I think the expectation is that you'll spend several hours EVERY DAY on this. Your comment that it was her job to help you find work was rather telling - her job is to make sure YOU are actively looking for work. Would be better if Dad got involved with helping you in your search for work as opposed to whinging about the snotty attitiude of the JC staff.

looby75

I was just going to suggest that maybe see if you can transfer to another JC. I've just been switched to JSA from IS and have been signing on since Nov. I had to go to a steps to work group session on Friday (total waste of everyone there's time but thats a whole other issue) and one of the other women there said she had recently transfered to that JC as the staff in her most local one were rude and unhelpful.

The advisor taking the session confirmed that they had quite a few people request a move from that office to this one, and that unless the customer had been abusive to staff the move is almost always granted.

I have to admit that so far all the advisor I've seen have been lovely and as helpful as they can be, they all admit it's a difficult time for job seekers.

markbass

Most of the people who work at job centres across the country are decent people i would imagine but you'll always get the one with the "GOD COMPLEX"....LOL

I was out of work for a while and there was this one lady who was polite but not if you know what i mean, she had the most condescending attitude i have ever seen, clearly enjoyed talking to people out of work like small children and occasionally screwed her face up with disapproval when you said something she didn't agree with, struck me as a real nasty piece of work!! but you do get them, just ignore them get in and get out!!..don't rise to their bait and bite because you will never win in that environment, i had to constantly bite my tongue....but she was the sort that would kick up a stink if i showed any sign of anger at the way she was acting, in fact i'd say i would have made her day had i of done so...

Heart_Shaped_Diamond

Loopy_Girl wrote: »

I agree fully with this - Daddy 'grabbed the phone out my hand'?!! Oh dearie dear...perhaps at 19 you should be able to tell your Dad in a polite way to butt out and you will deal with it...though frankly it sounds as if you enjoy this cocooning and being Daddy's special princess.

Interesting that you go on about you being 19 and pretty and you think the advisor was jealous - so she must have been making judgments that you didn't need the money? But then you go on to say that you don't wear tracksuits, you wear shoes (?!!) so you aren't a chav - don't chavs need money then?

It's crystal clear as well that it was a performing arts course that you were on - drama queen springs to mind...jesus, it's a crappy tough world out there - what would you do if an employer questioned what you had done all day? Let your eyes fill with tears and then run home so that Dad can snatch the phone up and fight your battles?

It's a 5 min meeting every 2 weeks - suck it up sweetheart and by all accounts it actually sounds like a half hearted attempt to find a job as you really want to be at Uni.

And as for the past illness' getting brought up - well that was just a 'natch wasn't it. Another example of someone playing the 'woe is me' card which leaves the genuine ill out there subject to being tarred with the same brush.

You're 19. Hopefully you will look back on this in a few years and cringe and realise what a drama you made out of nothing.

What a horrible comment to make to anyone. I came on here to speak about my experience at the job centre. Not to be told by a stranger on the internet that I have faked a very difficult illness.

I was diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa at the age of 15. I in the region of five stones or so. I was on anti-depressants and various other medication. I also had a concilor and a nurse that I saw on a daily basis. After 'getting over' the eating disorder I suffered panick attacks and then and still suffer from low self esteem.

I still see a professional.

No wonder my dad is protective of me. My family nearly lost me. During the illness my liver wasn't functioning properly and I was hospitalised for three weeks.

How could you dare tell me I'm a drama queen after all i've been through?
I know I'm probably doing myself no favours trying to back myself up here, I'm probably digging bigger holes but I feel the need to stick up for myself.

Saying something about the JSA is one thing, but accusing me of not generally being ill is another. You do not know me personally and do not know about my past, so don't try and tarr me with that 'so called brush'. It's very hypocritical.

To back up the phone thing, again - my father is a very demanding man. It got to the point where he was shouting and embarrassing me over the phone that I let him grab it from me. I wasn't causing a fuss - he was.

And thirdly being a 'drama queen' and an actress are totally different. Acting is a profession. Re-inacting a story to an audience in order to capture an incident or issue. And being a 'drama queen' is a stereotype given to someone who over exaggerates the truth. I've only come on here to tell the truth. Where as you seem to be dramatising my own story. Butt out.

Heart_Shaped_Diamond

Thank you for all of your replies that i've now managed to read. I haven't been online for the past couple of days and I'm really surprised at the number of people who cared to give some advice.

I will use the online sites some of you have posted. Funnily enough, i'd never heard of them. I've only signed on now 8 weeks, remember i'm new to this. So knowing of places to look for work is very helpful. Although it is difficult, I am trying.

I understand my self esteem does not help me in my current situation but I am not a stupid girl, I'm quite capable and will just have to swallow the bitter pill and get through my signings every fortnight. I'm sure it will soon end. Fingers crossed.

I was very over whelmed at what my father did the afternoon the complaint was made. I cannot stress more that I had nothing to do with it, in reality. He did take it upon himself to call and say the things that he did. And when I say I was upset, there were tears yes but it was in no way a 'tantrum' or outburst. I was against the phone call in the first place but I know how he can be. Unless you know my dad then you won't understand.

I am sorry to hear about everyone elses bad experiences at the JC. But those who have not been, please try not to judge. It's hard for anyone out there to find work, not just the people who like me, have no experience.

I have settled since the occurence and my next step is to enrole in a course for the NHS to see if I can open up that field of work.

Another idea is to take a class at night school and finnish my the english that I couldn't do at the time when I was at school with my illness as it will help me towards my degree. Plus, it would be something worth while in my opinion even if I decide to do something else.

I'm still frustrated that some posters would take time to say I cried to my father and that this is all an act. Ofcourse it's not. What would I get out making something like this up.

ghost87

Hi

I used to work for the jobcentre and just want to start by saying until you work there you cant understand the amount of abuse you have to put up with everyday for a rubbish wage, before working there i signed on and was treated awfully by a rude stuck up woman, when i started i swore id never treat anyone as she treated me and i never did, i am in no way excusing the way this woman treated you because it was out of order and you are within your right to refuse to sign with her, just let a member of staff know when you next go in.
When i signed customers I sometimes signed up to 64 people a day! without exaggeration, the pressure that is put on you is unreal, and you are watched all the time, you have 5 mins to ensure that the appropriate steps are been taken to look for work, conduct a jobsearch if necessary and ensure the customer is keeping in accordance with their jobseekers agreement, if they are not then yes it should go to a decision maker, if you cant keep to a contract that you have signed you shouldnt receive your benefit, its as simple as that.
I actually do sympathise with the genuine customers and i quite easily could seperate the genuine from the ones who were perfectly happy to stay on benefits as without they would have to pay for rent etc.
I dont think your dad should have made the complaint on your behalf, whether or not he snatched the phone off you or not, in my opinion if your old enough to claim jsa you are old enough to sort problems like that out yourself.
I dont think jobcentre staff can win either way tbh, on 1 hand people moan constantly about people living off their tax's etc yet when someones benefit is stopped it is seen as disguisting?
I once witnessed my colleague being physically attacked because he dared to ask a customer what websites he had visited to look for work, 2 security guards had their noses broken, everyday you are screamed at because the customer is running late and the person due to sign them has dared to take their lunch break, its not surprising you loose your customer service skills slightly.
Anyway back to OP if you would like to make a complaint next time you are signing ask a member of staff for the Jobcentre managers name and write to them at the address of the jobcentre.:)

GEEGEE8

Heart Shaped Diamond..

I am absolutely disgusted with that post that you quoted above, the one where they mention your illnesses and being a drama queen. Quite right you are to stick up for yourself. They should get banned for that post, it's one of the most digusting things I have ever read on MSE!

wantsajob

viktory wrote: »

To be honest, the OP does come across as rather precious.

I would hazard a guess you meant the word precocious. I think you come across as particularly vitriolic.