Quite annoyed at my jobcentre adviser

LisaB85

Ok so in May I was laid off by the jobcentre. I have been looking for jobs and applying for everything as well as attending interviews so I've not been 'slacking'

Today I saw my adviser who I used to work with but I'm shocked at how he made me feel. When I first made my claim I explained to him that I rely on public transport and could I put restrictions on my hours as the bus times here are hit and miss, he told me he didn't need to and wrote on my jsag that I am restricted to public transport.

Today he went through a few jobs and I told him unless I knew the location and if I can get there I don't want to be matched to the jobs I'd rather check them out first but he forced a matched job on me in Norwich 20 miles away where the hours were not specified nor was the location and told me if the hours and location were not suitable then it would be ok.

To get to Norwich centre it is 1 bus to town (20min) then from town to Norwich (45min) which is fine if this job does not start before 9am and does not finish after 730pm and is in the city centre.

I'm now panicking, the job is through an agency so I have emailed them my CV and applied but have asked about location and hours as well as stated my reliance on public transport.

I want my adviser changed, he knew from the time we worked together that I rely on public transport and knows I live in the sticks.

I've recently been diagnosed with depression and slight anxiety so I don't need this hanging over me. A friend and ex jcp colleague has advised I get a note from the doctors and make a claim to esa for a while to enable me to look for work without the bullying tactics I was subjected to today.

What should I do?

I really want a job but I don't need to be made to feel bullied into applying for a job where I may not be able to get to. I want a job to learn to drive.

magenta22

I asume that as you used to work for them you would know how to change the advisor? (meant in the nicest way - as in you would know the best ways about it)

They are not realistic.

LisaB85

magenta22 wrote: »

I asume that as you used to work for them you would know how to change the advisor? (meant in the nicest way - as in you would know the best ways about it)

They are not realistic.

Sadly things there change in hours so a lot has changed since May, I did have customers who wanted to change advisers and it would be passed on to one of the line managers to do this.

I have applied for the job, I have done as suggested and asked about hours but I will be calling to ensure they have it on record that I was told to do it that way.

I will also be providing a bus time table to be kept with my lmu and booking a jsag review.

I don't see my own adviser very often my last few appointments he has been off sick, he was always off sick when I worked there.

I know I could get a moped and pay £45 a week for 50 weeks but with fuel, insurance etc too a wage of £6.20 won't see me any better off.

SarEl

As far as I am aware, I was under the impression that putting restrictions on where and when you would work was only possible for a certain period of time, and after that you were no longer allowed to do so. The fact that you live in a rermote area or have unreliable public transport isn't as far as I was aware, an acceptable reason for refusing work. I am happy to be corrected if I have misunderstood this, but this may explain why you are no longer being allowed to use your transport problems as a reason for not applying for some jobs.

LisaB85

SarEl wrote: »

As far as I am aware, I was under the impression that putting restrictions on where and when you would work was only possible for a certain period of time, and after that you were no longer allowed to do so. The fact that you live in a rermote area or have unreliable public transport isn't as far as I was aware, an acceptable reason for refusing work. I am happy to be corrected if I have misunderstood this, but this may explain why you are no longer being allowed to use your transport problems as a reason for not applying for some jobs.

How can I start a job that I cannot physically get to? I can not get into my nearest town before 930am on a Saturday so a job that starts at 9am on Saturday is out of the question, even if I did apply then couldn't get there I'd not get the job.

It isn't a restriction by choice it is reality.

chewynut

I didn't think people saw the same advisor all the time these days?

When I was signing on for around six months, I seemed to see a different advisor every fortnight.

shop-to-drop

Is there a reason that you can not move if you find work outside your current area?

Horace

chewynut wrote: »

I didn't think people saw the same advisor all the time these days?

When I was signing on for around six months, I seemed to see a different advisor every fortnight.

At the jobcentres they have careers advisors that you see every 3 months and at this appointment you tend to have an hour with them to go through the jobs and how you are getting on - you also sign on at this appointment.

At some jobcentres you do see a different advisor each time you sign on but they are different to the careers ones that you see every quarter.

If there are no jobs local to you then you must look and be willing to accept work elsewhere.

LisaB85

shop-to-drop wrote: »

Is there a reason that you can not move if you find work outside your current area?

No but how do I get to the job until I find somewhere to live? I know you have to be willing to travel which I will but I have to rely on buses, my travel to work is 90 min which is fine but if I can't get there for 9am what am I supposed to do?

SarEl

LisaB85 wrote: »

How can I start a job that I cannot physically get to? I can not get into my nearest town before 930am on a Saturday so a job that starts at 9am on Saturday is out of the question, even if I did apply then couldn't get there I'd not get the job.

It isn't a restriction by choice it is reality.

Please don't shoot the messenger! I am only telling you what others have told me - after a period of time they must remove restrictions on when and where they will work, or what type of work they are looking for. As far as I understood it "can't get there" isn't an acceptable reason - there are time/travel limits applied and 20 miles is well within those limits.

DCFC79

chewynut wrote: »

I didn't think people saw the same advisor all the time these days?

When I was signing on for around six months, I seemed to see a different advisor every fortnight.

I saw the first guy for maybe 6 visits(every other week) and then I would see another advisor for about 5/6 vists then it changed to seeing a different advisor for 5 minutes then off i go whereas the 2 advisors I saw before I would speak to them for about 15/20 minutes.

I do remember being told at a set point i was going to have to widen my search in terms of jobs to apply for and the distance to travel.