The Work Programme New Thread

john539

LadyMissA wrote: »

What workers? No private sector workers are ever consulted or treated fairly.
See the Sunday trading hours are going to be changed for the Olymipcs. I pitty the poor shop workers who will probably be made to work all hours and it will be put up or shut up!

I agree, but that's not the fault of public sector workers who are unionised & organised.

It's not their fault that the private sector is not as unionised or organised & has been divided with each person looking after themselves.

The government would love to use divide & rule tactics to water down the public sector.

LadyMissA

john539 wrote: »

I agree, but that's not the fault of public sector workers who are unionised & organised.

It's not their fault that the private sector is not as unionised or organised & has been divided with each person looking after themselves.

The government would love to use divide & rule tactics to water down the public sector.

The point is the public sector seem to think they are hard done by, by having pay freezes and little pay increases. They should wake up and welcome to the real world as it's in most cases the tax payers that pay their salaries and pension and sick pay etc (yes I know they pay tax too).

kimbo_frog

I am getting totally confused about this WP!!
Ive been told my next sign-on date will be the transfer to WP.

I started a job in a school for 11.5 hrs a week in January but by taking that work I have got my foot in the door for the next batch of TA jobs needed in Sept.

I was told by my advisor that I would HAVE to do work placement on the WP and it would probably mean giving up my employment?
The reason being "You MIGHT get a better job on placement"....

I don't understand becoming unemployed again to "POSSIBLY" get another job....I still look for other jobs for the extra hours needed to get off JSA...but I can't find much without working weekends, which I would find hard being a single mum of 3 kids.

I have explained that the school will need extra staff in Sept and I have the best chance of getting the work if I'm already staff.
But it lands on deaf ears it seems...

They have never been happy with my efforts to find work...I paid for the computer courses to extend my skills and gain more qualifications ...as they won't pay as I have O'levels!

I also did voluntary work which they complained about me doing as I wasn't available to look for more jobs...even though I did more than my required job applications/searches anyway. They kept sending me jobs I was NOT qualified to do and would threaten me when I didn't apply for them that I would have my benefits stopped.

What do I do? ...can I stop JSA and still get the other benefits?
or do I continue and keep my fingers crossed that I don't have to give my job up?

john539

kimbo_frog wrote: »

I am getting totally confused about this WP!!
Ive been told my next sign-on date will be the transfer to WP.

I started a job in a school for 11.5 hrs a week in January but by taking that work I have got my foot in the door for the next batch of TA jobs needed in Sept.

I was told by my advisor that I would HAVE to do work placement on the WP and it would probably mean giving up my employment?
The reason being "You MIGHT get a better job on placement"....

I don't understand becoming unemployed again to "POSSIBLY" get another job....I still look for other jobs for the extra hours needed to get off JSA...but I can't find much without working weekends, which I would find hard being a single mum of 3 kids.

I have explained that the school will need extra staff in Sept and I have the best chance of getting the work if I'm already staff.
But it lands on deaf ears it seems...

They have never been happy with my efforts to find work...I paid for the computer courses to extend my skills and gain more qualifications ...as they won't pay as I have O'levels!

I also did voluntary work which they complained about me doing as I wasn't available to look for more jobs...even though I did more than my required job applications/searches anyway. They kept sending me jobs I was NOT qualified to do and would threaten me when I didn't apply for them that I would have my benefits stopped.

What do I do? ...can I stop JSA and still get the other benefits?
or do I continue and keep my fingers crossed that I don't have to give my job up?

The jobcentre staff are clueless & don't know what the WP providers do.

I think it unlikely you would be sent on any placement in your circumstances of having a job & 3 kids, when your job may lead to more secure job.

I can't imagine you'd have to give up a job for a placement, doubt they can do that.

You can discuss things with WP provider who will review your circumstances.

Maybe ask jobcentre to defer your WP referral if that's what you want, as you already have a job which may lead to more secure job.

The_ICT_Engineer

Things are a bit quiet in the office at the moment. So had a quick look at Beeb news site while no calls are coming in.
Come across this report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17440803 about Works Minister Grayling appearing in front of the Work and Pensions Select Committee. This former employee of 'Working Links' was trying to blame everyone else for the problems with the program. From the media through to the Socialist Workers Party.

LadyMissA

The_ICT_Engineer wrote: »

Things are a bit quiet in the office at the moment. So had a quick look at Beeb news site while no calls are coming in.
Come across this report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17440803 about Works Minister Grayling appearing in front of the Work and Pensions Select Committee. This former employee of 'Working Links' was trying to blame everyone else for the problems with the program. From the media through to the Socialist Workers Party.

'Appearing in front of the Work and Pensions Select Committee in Parliament, Mr Grayling said that with hindsight though he might have given the scheme a different name.'

Like what? The We Won't & Can't Get You Back Into Work Programme!

Off to see my lovely people tomorrow - can't wait! lol

LadyMissA

From the London School of Economics

'The analysis suggests that providers won’t hit the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) minimum expectations in years one and two of the Work Programme, and even by year three, 22 out of 24 FND contractors would have failed to meet the minimum requirements of the new flagship scheme. As the Department has threatened to terminate the contracts of providers who do not meet these challenging benchmarks, this threatens the viability of the policy. The likely performance levels also mean that funding per jobseeker on the scheme will be significantly less than anticipated, creating real problems for private and voluntary sector providers already operating on extremely tight funding.'

They predict 22/24 will fail!

looby75

well I've just had my first phone appointment with the WP.

It went along the lines of "so hows the job hunting going"

"I'm in the middle of filling in an application but I've got a bit stuck because it's a generic application form that doesn't really fit the job role I'm applying for"

"oh well don't be worried about overselling yourself"

That was it lol

john539

The_ICT_Engineer wrote: »

Things are a bit quiet in the office at the moment. So had a quick look at Beeb news site while no calls are coming in.
Come across this report http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17440803 about Works Minister Grayling appearing in front of the Work and Pensions Select Committee. This former employee of 'Working Links' was trying to blame everyone else for the problems with the program. From the media through to the Socialist Workers Party.

Grayling & Iain Duncan Smith are idiots in denial.

LadyMissA

Who wants a laugh?

I went to my WP today. Got there and it seems someone else was also with my lady at 9am (how can this be when we have a set appointment and they promised double booking would never happen again) so I am sitting there waiting thinking if this bloke gets called first I am just going to tell them I am going home but horary I get called dead on 9am!

So, it goes 'hello, how are you'? 'I am ok' I replied.

She goes into the system and clicks 'completed' on the tasks set and one is still ongoing - the 5 jobs I email her each week (got something to tell you all about them at the end, so hang on).

She then introduced me to the woman who had the list of companies from me where she didn't have a clue what kind of job I was after nor did she have my CV. Anyway, she says across the room 'would you work in Laindon' (or that's what I though she said), so I say 'that costs me more than getting to Heathrow', she says 'what London'? I reply 'oh London, of course I would work in London, is this a trick question'? I told her I had worked in London since I left school and am not looking for a local job and can't believe they are all sitting there thinking we all want to work local (within 3 miles or so from home). I said yes London is where I am looking. She basically said she will keep a look out for jobs but didn't want anymore lists of companies as she has too many lists and could never get through them all. So, it seems if a company contact them of they get a contact at an employer then they will see if they can get you in for interview but I won’t hold my breath.

My woman then comes in with a blow. SHE IS LEAVING THIS FRIDAY!! I was WTH? Where are you going? She is retiring but seriously she is not in her 60’s so maybe had enough and just going. She said she hasn’t given them much notice and she is GUESSING they are going to replace her and this meeting (mine at 9am) was just to tidy things up and tell me that she was no longer going to be there. What was the point really to go 7 miles there and 7 miles back to be told she’s leaving?!

I said what homework/tasks have I got to do then and she said only the 5 jobs a week and just write them down as you can not email them to anyone as she has no idea who I will be seeing next!

Can you believe that? It was hilarious!

She also said this that until she started working in this industry she assumed everyone who had been out of work say a year didn’t want to work and its only from meeting the likes of me and others and doing what she’s doing now that has changed her mind on how bad it is to actually find and secure a job!

I mentioned what the job centre had told me about writing down all the reference numbers for the jobs I apply for and she it’s not worth it as she knows full well what I am doing to find a job. She said we could call the companies to check but 1) would they remember you by name that you had applied and 2) even if we could they can’t tell us as its……………wait for it A BREECH OF THE DATA PROTECTION ACT!! An employer that I have applied to direct (not from a recommendation from the WP) can not talk about me or my application to the JC or the WP as if they did they are breaking the law.

The form we sign as stated here a number of times is ONLY for WP to talk to employers that they have contact with in the first place. They can not interfere in anyone’s applications that have not been made via them. So, what a total waste it all is, eh? It’s not that I want them butting in to everything I apply for and to be honest they would not even have the time but is the point of it all. My woman said I have to attend (pointlessly as she has said again today they can not help me and I know more about what I am doing than they could) just to pacify the Government.

I shook her hand wished her well and went to claim my travel and would you believe it they have NO MONEY! ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!

‘Can you come back another time to get it’? I said ‘are you seriously saying come all the way back here tomorrow paying more fare only to claim the fare and the fare from today, that makes no sense’!

So they put a note on my account so I can claim it next time. What company has no petty cash? At least I will be rich next time! Not! Haha