The Work Programme New Thread

Sy1972

I have a question for those on the "work programme" so am hoping some people will be able to provide me with their own experiences. I have been on work programme since its inception, originally I was claiming E.S.A however I decided that I wanted to get back to work so decided to sign back onto J.S.A. My previous advisors on work programme were happy for me to do 1 hours job search every week due to the fact that my hours, and the kind of work that I am able to do are limited on health grounds by the job centre. I however had a new advisor who took over 1 month ago and had my first appointment with her on Thursday, she has informed me that in fact everyone on work programme is meant to do a "minimum" of 2 and a half hours job search every day. I am wondering if other people have had a similar experience with being told that the amount of hours job search they should be doing increased in such a substantial way ?.

scooby088

I have never been told how many hours a day i am supposed to search for a job, in fact i do more than what is asked off the jobcentre and the work programme provider.

donnajunkie

Sy1972 wrote: »

I have a question for those on the "work programme" so am hoping some people will be able to provide me with their own experiences. I have been on work programme since its inception, originally I was claiming E.S.A however I decided that I wanted to get back to work so decided to sign back onto J.S.A. My previous advisors on work programme were happy for me to do 1 hours job search every week due to the fact that my hours, and the kind of work that I am able to do are limited on health grounds by the job centre. I however had a new advisor who took over 1 month ago and had my first appointment with her on Thursday, she has informed me that in fact everyone on work programme is meant to do a "minimum" of 2 and a half hours job search every day. I am wondering if other people have had a similar experience with being told that the amount of hours job search they should be doing increased in such a substantial way ?.

were they telling you you have to do that in the office or were they just saying thats how much time people should spend jobsearching? if its the latter then just let it go in one ear and out the other and just tell them you spend that much time jobsearching even if you dont. i cant see them wanting everyone in the office to do 2 and a half hours per day. however if they want people to be in there everyday for 2 and a half hours they can. i would be tempted to inform them that i meet the minimum requirement of my jsa agreement already.

donnajunkie

scooby088 wrote: »

I have never been told how many hours a day i am supposed to search for a job, in fact i do more than what is asked off the jobcentre and the work programme provider.

theres nothing on the jsa agreement about time spent. its all about number of jobsearching tasks you must do. it sounds like the advisor is being a n*b. if it were me and this 2 and half hours could be done outside the office i would just tell them i do that much even if i didnt. if they want people to do the time in the office then there cant be many unemployed people in that area. mine has recently cut back on the amount of time we can spend in their office due to large numbers of people being refered to them.

tsimehC

Well my WP referral is way overdue, JCP didn't bother to refer me (i.e. book the initial appt), CDG will call me (they already did this morning but I missed it but I'm not returning the call until tomorrow because they have 10 days to arrange an appointment anyway). Anyone else experienced CDG on the WP?

Sy1972

donnajunkie wrote: »

were they telling you you have to do that in the office or were they just saying thats how much time people should spend jobsearching? if its the latter then just let it go in one ear and out the other and just tell them you spend that much time jobsearching even if you dont. i cant see them wanting everyone in the office to do 2 and a half hours per day. however if they want people to be in there everyday for 2 and a half hours they can. i would be tempted to inform them that i meet the minimum requirement of my jsa agreement already.

Thanks for replying Donna. Yes she stated that the 2 and a half hours per day were meant to be done in the office however because I said that I had access to the internet at home I could do the hours at home however I would have to show them proof that I have been taking to steps to look for work from home. My jobseekers agreement is to take 3 steps a week to look for work, use the internet twice and look in the local papers once, my worry is that the provider will tell the jobcentre that I haven't been taking the steps they have issued and I will have my money stopped.

scooby088

You have a looking for work book which is issued by the jobcentre, write everything you apply for through the jobcentre or any place else, keep email and contact addresses of people you have contacted for a job. Just keep everything documented. Even asking friends and family about work can count as one of your steps.

out_of_cash

greenberet1990 wrote: »

hi, i'm on the wp now and the provider maximus uk had set me a action for the next 6 weeks, get a yelllow pages and cold call employers 3 hours a week. has anyone have the same epxeirnece with thier provider. thanks

Hi, i really hope they are paying your phone bill.If not i would demand that they do.

out_of_cash

donnajunkie wrote: »

i am sure i have seen something somewhere that said if after several attempts to contact you they dont manage to they can sanction you for not being contactable or available. so you can ignore their call but would be expected to call them back within a reasonable time.

Anything that is sanctionable has to be applied in a strict way,they have guidelines and are bound by them.If they are contacting someone and say they havent been able to,then they better ba able to prove this if they are going to apply a sanction. If they pick on the wrong person,that person may see fit to kick all kinds of crap up for them via media.

There is nothing in their guidelines that i have read that specifies a time ine, only that if something is mandatory it has to be given in written format first,so they wont be able to rely upon peoples mobiles etc as an easy excuse,they may well try this but ultimately will have to prove.Being unemployed its highly likely that many wont be usingtheir phone credit to contact these goverment cash cows.

out_of_cash

looby75 wrote: »

that sounds perfectly reasonable to me. You are expected to be contactable while on JSA to be invited to interviews etc so as long as you get back to them within say 24 hours I don't see what the problem is.

If they sanctioned you for not getting back to them within a hour that would be unreasonable.

just by refusing or overlooking to answer your mobile isnt proof that your are then acting to be unavailable.They can use email and write for anything important.There are no legal requirements for you to even give them your phone number or email, i had this confirmed to me by DWP , when they write to me i attend.I available 24/7 as is confirmed when i sign the declaration every 2 wks for jsa.