Can employer find out that i've been on JSA?

Sharon87

FatVonD wrote: »

I have signed on for JSA in the odd week when I've had no freelance work and, when it ends, they send a P45 (ie not the P45 you got when you left your last job) so it would be apparent when you presented it to payroll that you'd been on JSA.

Or you can fill out a P46!

5 month gap isn't too much. Put your voluntary work onto your CV, then the gap doesn't seem that long.

purple.sarah

I understand what you mean, you want to show you have been doing something while you've been on JSA. I would show that you have been busy learning new skills, volunteering etc. Don't try to make out it was a whole self employed career though, that won't stand up to scrutiny. The employer could find out you stretched the truth and that would go against you. And it wouldn't look good if it got back to the job centre that you were saying you were working for yourself while you were on JSA!

I put my volunteering experience on my CV, it breaks up the period of unemployment and shows I have been proactive in gaining experience. But I don't pretend it was paid work.

ferien_uk2011

Can you rewrite your CV so that it just shows years? You can put your last job as ending in 2011, as well have having the other things you've done this year as '2011' so it doesn't look like you've just done nothing for 5 months. This doesn't work for everybody, and it doesn't work on applications where they ask for the months, but it might be worth a try.

Also, if you have been doing unpaid work on and off for the past few months, don't put on your CV the exact dates on your CV, just the overall period eg 'March 2011-present'. You don't have to mention on your CV that is wasn't full-time.

However, you do need to be prepared to answer questions in interviews that may give you away. I wouldn't advocate lying in interviews, but you don't need to say outright that you are unemployed/ on JSA. You can just say the work you are doing is on a casual basis, and focus more on what you have been doing than what you haven't.

Redbull

Thanks for all your replies, some good info & tips.

I don’t blame the employers – before I was made redundant, I thought exactly the same way. I had heard of people looking for work for 6 months, a year… I also heard of people applying to 10-15 jobs a day for months and not hearing anything back and I just thought to myself - there is either something seriously wrong with this person / he just is not bothering / he is lying. I had it my head that it would take me 2-3 weeks max to find another job when I was made redundant – wow was I wrong.

EconomicsGirl

I think they can find out through your P45 and I would always be honest but not mention it unless directly asked. If you've been doing voluntary work I think it is fine to put that on your CV. I've been off work for just under 3 months now after vol. redundancy and employers really don't seem to care and have said that - infact I get a positive response as they are happy I'm immediately available. Obviously there probably comes a point when that changes and you definately need to account for time e.g. voluntary work / course or looking after children but I don't think in the current market its very unusual.

ultrarunner

A number of PAYE References printed on your P45, such as 921 / LDN relate to jobseekers allowance. But it's quite likely that the employer will have established your employment history before that.