Job Centre JSA problems

daggy

HI,

My Girlfriend lost her job in august, she was an apprentice hairdresser and wasn't kept on after her apprenticeship as the salon doesn't need another colourist.

She applied for JSA and after being on it for 2 weeks found a job which starts in November. Her job is a temp job at m and s, so it's possible she'll not be kept on afterwards.

The Job Centre are insisting that she continues to find and apply for jobs, they are also giving her jobs to apply for; these jobs are immediate start, which clearly makes no sense as she has a job.

She explained this and told them she'd be happy to apply for jobs that start after this new job is due to finish, but they insist that she applies for all jobs.

If she's offered one, she will have to decline, therefore negating the whole point in applying. I'd assume that this will have a detrimental effect of her chance of gaining a job with these companies again.

Is it correct that she has to apply, even though she now has a job?

She's being penalised for finding a job, yet all of the brethrens who sit on their !!!!'s collecting their JSA every fortnight get an easy ride.

nannymiaow

daggy wrote: »

She's being penalised for finding a job, yet all of the brethrens who sit on their !!!!'s collecting their JSA every fortnight get an easy ride.

Um, really?

nannytone_2

the benefit that your girlfriend is claiming is 'Job Seekers Allowance'. the clue is in the name.
if she isn't willing to apply for/accept job offers then she clearly isnt seeking employment!

daggy

nannymiaow wrote: »

Um, really?

Yes, really... I'm not sure what art you disagree with? I'm referring to the minority of people who are happy to pretend they are looking for a job.

Example: My GF's grandad was in the pub the other week and a girl walked in and asked the landlord to sign her JSA form so that the job centre would think she had applied for the job.

Take your rose tinted glasses off, not everyone is actually searching for work.

nannytone wrote: »

the benefit that your girlfriend is claiming is 'Job Seekers Allowance'. the clue is in the name.
if she isn't willing to apply for/accept job offers then she clearly isnt seeking employment!

I should have known the pedants and keyboard warriors would role out...

Maybe my post was semantically ambiguous - she has a job, but there is a delayed start date, why on earth would you continue to apply for jobs whilst you have a job?

The job seeking is done....

She is happy to apply for jobs that start after her new job finishes, but what does she gain by applying for jobs she will not take (AS SHE HAS A JOB)?

p.s. thanks for writing all of that in bold, it didn't make your post one iota more pungent than it would have been had you wrote it in normal text.

missbunbury

How long are we talking here? Is the job not starting for another three weeks, or does it start tomorrow? Thing is, if she wants to keep getting the JSA she will just have to do whatever jobhunting they expect of her. I suppose from their point of view they can't just say "oh OK, stop looking then" - they'd end up with loads of people merrily claiming for months going "I've got a job to start in six months so I don't need to apply for anything now". Annoying for your girlfriend but if she needs the money she will just have to do it I guess.

nannytone_2

she has a job, but not right now.
so she wants financial support until that job starts?

then why not apply for jobs/accept wrk inb the meantime?

if she isnt actively seeking employment then she doesnt meet the criteria.

just a thought ... why dont you support her in the intervening weeks instead of expecting her to be allowed a benefit to which she clearly isnt entitled?

bit of a froeign concept to some people!

jetplane

Its the way JSA works, they still expect her to look for work incase she gets a job while waiting for a start date, as she could then sign off and they wouldn't have to pay her JSA. Also it is incase the job start is delayed or withdrawn.

And if she does get a job interview in the next 2 weeks its unlikely that she would get offered it if she said she was starting elswhere.

Caz3121

If she does not apply for the jobs they are giving her to apply for then she will be breaching her JSA agreement and she won't get any money anyway.
She can either continue to look for jobs, she may end up getting a permanent one rather than a temp one, apply for temp jobs for the next few weeks until she starts or decide to live off her savings/other people. She may find the letter writing/interviews useful for when she is next looking

agrinnall

She has a choice, she can either continue to look for work including immediate starts (you never know, she might get something longer term than the M&S one) and continue to get JSA until she starts somewhere, or discontinue the claim and get nothing until she is paid by M&S. Why should she be paid for not looking for a job?

karenx

The job she has just now is only temp though and another job she might get would be permanent? Surly the logical thing would be to still look for a permanent job and if she gets one of those to not go ahead with the temp one

Vincent_Buenisedes

OP, the best thing to do in my opinion is to advise you girlfriend to apply for the jobs anyway and if she gets an interview, she should explain to the employer that she won't be there for long due to her already having found employment.
It's a total waste for time for her and the employer, but sadly the Jobcentre seem to be increasing efforts to catch people out on the slightest pretence in order to sanction them.
I have always found it is much easier to jump through their hoops and then putting in a formal letter of complaint after, as the advisors usually are of the lowest quality and seem to take delight being vindictive to claimants.