A job's a job..

cool-dog

When I started my with my current employer 5 years ago, I started on minimum wage, I hated the job, but it was a job. I did the job the best I could, 6 months into my employment another department had a temporary vacancy, my manager asked if I would like to do a secondment. I loved the secondment and eventually got a permanent job in that role.

At every pay review I have received a decent pay rise, and I am now on double what I started on, whilst it is still below the national average. It is still enough money to live on, its a 9-5 where as the initial job I started with my employer was a shift job with weekends included.

I have been given an opportunity to gain a professional qualification, that my employer is funding. Which will increase the opportunities to me as well as my take home pay.

With a previous job, I was working as a shelf stacker on not much more than minimum wage, within 1 month of starting that employment I was put on a manager training course, I left before I completed the training, as I hated the job.

So yes you may start on NMW, but with perseverance, and putting your best into the job, you might find that opportunities open up and your employment improves as well as your take home pay. Yes there are jobs out there that this won't happen with, but if you don't try you never know. Yes if they pay peanuts you get monkeys, but if you stay a monkey you will only get peanuts!

morganedge

''BUT, the work ethic instilled in me, and our sense of self worth dictates that we simply CANNOT lower ourselves to live off of others when we are able and capable of supporting ourselves''

But a lot of people don't have that work ethic and sense of self worth, and they sure as hell won't change. It's trying to impose your morals and values onto others. They don't see it the same. They'd rather have a similar amount of spending money than the people who have to go to work for 40+ hours per week, all from doing nothing. And guess what.....they can! I think it's a miracle than a hell of a lot MORE people aren't claiming instead of working.

dandelionclock30

I dont think its lowering yourself to claim benefit when your looking for a job when you have paid a fortune in tax and national insurance for absolutley years on end. . Unemployed people have a right to claim benfits as a lot of them have worked for years .Also if we didnt pay benefits the options apart from working would be begging, shoplifting and robbery. People would soon be moaning if the crime rate rocketted.
I agree that unemployed people should be working but the jobs even low waged ones are very hard to come by.People shouldnt be getting angry at the unemployed and blaming and stereotyping them.They should be looking at the failing system and realizing that the low paid and the unemployed are 2 sides of the same coin. If people want change then do something about it.

falko89

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

I dont think its lowering yourself to claim benefit when your looking for a job when you have paid a fortune in tax and national insurance for absolutley years on end. . Unemployed people have a right to claim benfits as a lot of them have worked for years .Also if we didnt pay benefits the options apart from working would be begging, shoplifting and robbery. People would soon be moaning if the crime rate rocketted.
I agree that unemployed people should be working but the jobs even low waged ones are very hard to come by.People shouldnt be getting angry at the unemployed and blaming and stereotyping them.They should be looking at the failing system and realizing that the low paid and the unemployed are 2 sides of the same coin. If people want change then do something about it.

Thats something that annoys me, I've worked for years, I am now unemployed but do people care I've worked for years and paid tax for years? No, the moment you become unemployed your tarred with the scrounger brush. At the moment I am looking something low paid, anything to get me out of the house but the jobs are not there, plenty of graduate jobs yes but nothing for Mr average, I was actually amazed, you hear stories of those who go to uni then come out complaining there are no jobs, funny as thats all the jobs I can find.

LadyMissA

JodyBPM wrote: »

Hearing stories like this restores my faith into why I pay so much of our household income in taxes.

I hope you find a job soon, it sounds like you certainly deserve one.

I don't begrudge benefits to people with your attitude, you deserve them, that is exactly what they are for, to support you while you are genuinely seeking employment.

Where in the UK are you BTW?

haha thanks. I am in Essex/London and there are jobs it's just you are up against so many people including those already working and instead of paying for people to go on the uselss Work Programme (who has said to me that its not for the likes of me) the Govenment would do better in paying companies for taking on the unemployed. Say 50% of the salary if they keep the job 1 year.

zaffi

robotrobo wrote: »

my good neighbours are happy with the cruises they go on while on benefits & i have friends who own more than one property abroad as well , im not saying thats right , i just think that while you are happy at work , they are getting on with their lives , i suggest you pull your head out of the sand or better still take some time off & join these people enjoying life 52 weeks a year, its not a life for me! , but a lot of people do enjoy it.

i've read and re-read your post, and still can't work out what your point is.

if as you say, you have friends who can cruise it up and buy multiple properties abroad whilst on benefits, more power to them but my default instinct is to say "aye right"

the part ive highlighted baffles me, what are you trying to say? that MY life would be better if i was given hundreds of pounds a month in benefits rather than earning thousands? you seem in one sentence to be advocating a work free lifestyle, in some sort of dig at me for working, then in the next you say it's not for you...

very strange post

zaffi

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Actually, people who live on benefits (particularly if they have children) are often better off than those on comparatively poorly paid jobs - that's the problem with our system.

this is something i find weird, technically, monetarily, your right, but you do realise than the the extra they get kinda gets spent on the child (or should) so in real terms, are they better of?

for example in my OP i used the family with 10 kids getting 40K a year in benefits, that's ball park what i earn. who's life is better? i'm guessing mine. me and the wife have just booked our summer holiday to chicago, san diego and las vegas, are folk on benefits gonna be able to do that?

doubt it

to clarify, when i'm talking about folk on benefits i'm refering to those who are happy to exist on benefits, with no interest in working, not people who have lost jobs

scooby088

I worked at a place for eight years the management were worse than useless and the work itself blowed..but my colleagues made the day go and in the end made the job worth going to. But in the end i think that if you really hate a job give it up but make sure you have another to go to.

Oldernotwiser

LadyMissA wrote: »

the website for tax credits says '
Household Income
This is the income of individuals or a joint income if you are a couple.

We do not include income your children may have had, unless it is taxable in your name or your partner's name. '

Not if you live in someone elses household so guess single people who live with family who earn nmw get nothing extra as usual

Single people living with family are able to claim tax credits but not help with their rent. The quote you've used says nothing about their not being able to claim.

Harry_Flashman

falko89 wrote: »

Thats something that annoys me, I've worked for years, I am now unemployed but do people care I've worked for years and paid tax for years? No, the moment you become unemployed your tarred with the scrounger brush. At the moment I am looking something low paid, anything to get me out of the house but the jobs are not there, plenty of graduate jobs yes but nothing for Mr average, I was actually amazed, you hear stories of those who go to uni then come out complaining there are no jobs, funny as thats all the jobs I can find.

No I don't.

I think there is a world of difference between you (worker who's lost their job presumably through no fault of their own) and some chav waster who's never worked (or made themselves unemployable) and their family may not have for generations.

The worker deserves all our help and support to get back into work - albeit maybe not as good as the job they had, but some form of work.

The waster really deserves to get nothing.