[JobSeekerAllowance] Missing Sign On appointment again : (

slimg

Hello everyone,
im unemployed since July 2011, in Jobseeker allowance since September. During the last months I have missed 2 sign on appointment because of 2 job opportunities (i had trial day) which unfortunately didnt went through. In both of the case i provided documents and proof of my "absence" from sign on appointment...and i lost something like 4 weeks of jsa.
well last week i finally finiashed my penality...but once again i have a new experience day for a job. it will be in 2 weeks time...i always try to get in touch with my advisor to move my sign-on but they never do that. i will be allowed to lose my sign on appointment for the 3rd time or i will completely lose my jsa?
i really dont know what to do, everytime i have to go through a penality period it makes me in a very harsh situation....if anyone can advice me PLEASE drop a line!!
thanks in advance!

BrettMorganxD

slimg wrote: »

Hello everyone,
im unemployed since July 2011, in Jobseeker allowance since September. During the last months I have missed 2 sign on appointment because of 2 job opportunities (i had trial day) which unfortunately didnt went through. In both of the case i provided documents and proof of my "absence" from sign on appointment...and i lost something like 4 weeks of jsa.
well last week i finally finiashed my penality...but once again i have a new experience day for a job. it will be in 2 weeks time...i always try to get in touch with my advisor to move my sign-on but they never do that. i will be allowed to lose my sign on appointment for the 3rd time or i will completely lose my jsa?
i really dont know what to do, everytime i have to go through a penality period it makes me in a very harsh situation....if anyone can advice me PLEASE drop a line!!
thanks in advance!

Try phoning them before the trial and explain. Surely they would prefer you to possibly get a job rather than sign a peice of paper?.

Although they can be inconsiderate. Try asking the CAB for advice

dookar

I struggle to believe you were sanctioned for attending trials for employment

[Deleted User]

totally agree this wouldnt happen i dont know why people post such rubbish !

Spendless

Something similar happened to a friend. She got an interview around the same time she had to sign on, so she rang JC and they said if she missed she would possibly be subject to a sanction. My friend pointed out this was an interview for a JOB and got told they had a list of acceptable reasons to miss and an interview wasn't on it (rolls eyes). My friend managed to get a time changed, whether this was JC or the job interview I can't remember. She then took it up with a more senior advisor when she was having an x month review. He wasn't impressed with what she'd been told over the phone.

Interhacker

woodbine wrote: »

totally agree this wouldnt happen i dont know why people post such rubbish !

That`s why they go Blackpool and we go Vegas

Poppa_G

although it shouldn't happen, Woodbine I'm sorry to say that it does.

18 months ago my son informed JC+ that he had been invited to attend a week's unpaid work trial, what JSA he had he spent in fares and worked from 8am until 6pm every night.

I even took a call from JC+ asking where his trial was, (albeit he had informed them prior to attending) when I asked if there was a problem they informed me that because he had arranged the trial himself he might lose his claim!!!

Moving on, despite providing them with letters from the company stating that it was a week's unpaid trial, his claim was ended and in all he lost 4 weeks money. This despite the company inviting a representitive to attend the company and see my son in the workplace. In addition it also had a knock effect on my housing & ctax benefits, something which was righted when I provided the council with a letter from the company stating that my son received no renumeration for his time.

swbrua

Take a letter (or whatever proof you have) to the job centre and ask them to put it in your file and notify the person who does your appointments. If you give them notice and they have proof they will not stop your benefits. You can appeal against any stop in your benefits (and they will as far as I know repay any mistakenly held back benefits) so if it did come down to it and you can prove it was a real job interview/trial and the company involved will verify it you have nothing to worry about.

Oldernotwiser

slimg wrote: »

Hello everyone,
im unemployed since July 2011, in Jobseeker allowance since September. During the last months I have missed 2 sign on appointment because of 2 job opportunities (i had trial day) which unfortunately didnt went through. In both of the case i provided documents and proof of my "absence" from sign on appointment...and i lost something like 4 weeks of jsa.
well last week i finally finiashed my penality...but once again i have a new experience day for a job. it will be in 2 weeks time...i always try to get in touch with my advisor to move my sign-on but they never do that. i will be allowed to lose my sign on appointment for the 3rd time or i will completely lose my jsa?
i really dont know what to do, everytime i have to go through a penality period it makes me in a very harsh situation....if anyone can advice me PLEASE drop a line!!
thanks in advance!

I imagine that the Job Centre, like several of us here, are suspicious that you've had 3 trial days in 5 months and each of them has been on a signing on day!

MrsManda

Spendless wrote: »

She got an interview around the same time she had to sign on, so she rang JC and they said if she missed she would possibly be subject to a sanction. My friend pointed out this was an interview for a JOB and got told they had a list of acceptable reasons to miss and an interview wasn't on it (rolls eyes). My friend managed to get a time changed, whether this was JC or the job interview I can't remember. She then took it up with a more senior advisor when she was having an x month review. He wasn't impressed with what she'd been told over the phone.

I'm not surprised the senior advisor was unimpressed. Going to a job interview is counted as a good cause for not attending an appointment.
Section 20948 http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch20.pdf

To the OP, is the work trial something which could feasibly lead to employment?
Is it something formal - for example you have a letter from the employer offering you a trial with the potential prospect of a job?
Did you have the choice of when to do the trial?

Does the trial fall under the rules for voluntary work/work experience? - http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dmgch21.pdf Page 55. - If it falls under these rules I think you should be able to do it without sanction providing you're still available for work should you be offered.
Though for simple ease it would be best if you could convince your advisor to let you sign on a different day.

wannabehermit

dookar wrote: »

I struggle to believe you were sanctioned for attending trials for employment

woodbine wrote: »

totally agree this wouldnt happen i dont know why people post such rubbish !

It does happen though. When I was claiming Income Support after my redundancy I was due to go to my 6 month review, but had a job interview at a similar time. The location of the interview meant that I couldn't get from there to the Job Centre in time. I called them (which is not the easiest thing in the world to do, they very rarely answer the phone (that's if you can find the number for your JCP in the first place) and when they do you can very rarely get to the person you need to speak to), informed them of the interview, asked to change my time to later in the day or a different date, promised call backs, but none came. Eventually spoke to a manager who assured me that it would be ok and not to worry about the 6 month review as it wasn't essential as it was IS not JSA and that it would be arranged for a different time. A week later I receive a letter telling me that because I failed to attend the review I was being given a warning and further failure to attend reviews would result in a sanction thereby stopping my benefit for a period of time.