Received Why You Refused To Take Job Form In Post

admania

Hi Everyone

I received a ES195REJP 10/11 form in the post this morning about a job opportunity that the Job Centre must have given to me a long time ago.

Some background info I have been on JSA since Jan 2011 and part of the Work Programme since Feb this year. I have never had any issues with either and I am desperate to find a job.

At my last signing on the lady asked me about 2 job opportunities from around 4 months ago , could be longer, that the Job Centre had given me and why I hadn't applied, first time it's happened to me. I remembered the jobs in question, one of them I had contacted the company and they wanted someone with specific travel agency experience so I hadn't applied for example. I told them the information for both vacancies and they seemed fine with that.

Then today I get a letter through the post about a vacancy which must have been months ago via a recruitment agency and I genuinely can't remember what happened with it. I am now freaking out a bit because I can't afford to have my JSA stopped.

I have been active with The Work Programme for the past 4 months and I attend 2 times a week, they are happy with me and I have a good relationship with my advisor. I just recently missed out at interview for a job.

I have had no problems with the Job Centre up until now and I'm going to ring on Monday to talk about this letter. It's just so long ago now that I can't remember what happened with this job opportunity. On some occasions in the past they would ask me at the following signing on date about opportunities provided at the last signing on time but not always.

If anyone can offer any advice or any help I would really appreciate it, I am genuinely looking for work and as I say never had any issues up to this point. What is likely to happen to me?

MissSarah1972

How would the job centre know you missed out on a job advertised via an agency? How did you miss out or not apply or even take it?

admania

Hi Sarah

They occasionally would do a search on their jobseekers direct gov page and this opportunity must have been shown to me, the company is a recruitment agency so it must have been a vacancy via them.

I didn't apply for the job I don't think but there may have been a reason for that. At the moment all I have is the recruitment company and the job title from the letter. We're going back months and I just literally can't remember.

mynameistallulah

Is there anything on your emails that would jog your memory, or can you remember calling them and who you might have spoken to? If you ring the JCP, they may be able to tell you what the advertisement said, but with regards to your reasons for not applying, you have to write them on the form - the form will then go to a decision maker to decide if you have good reason for not applying.

MissSarah1972

admania wrote: »

Hi Sarah

They occasionally would do a search on their jobseekers direct gov page and this opportunity must have been shown to me, the company is a recruitment agency so it must have been a vacancy via them.

I didn't apply for the job I don't think but there may have been a reason for that. At the moment all I have is the recruitment company and the job title from the letter. We're going back months and I just literally can't remember.

If thats the case you would have the paper work the JC gave you? They print out the job details and give them to you and that's how the record of the job gets on your file.

I have all mine in a wallet and I write on them the date I emailed CV over etc plus I have a file in my email inbox called 'jobs' where I keep all emails sent or received for applications so I can refer back to them

If they have this on record you are really going to have to prove you applied.

CCFC_80

Can you not just say, you thought you applied for it?. As you say it's going back months. It's just your word against the agencies and as we all know there are some pretty useless incompetent people who work for employment agencies.


Also you haven't mentioned. Could the job have been outside your travelling area or lower than the rate of pay you would be willing to work from your JCP agreement ?

I think a lesson here, I have seen it mentioned before is to not accept jobs that they print off for you if you are not sure, as I believe as soon as they print it off you have to apply

mynameistallulah

CCFC_80 wrote: »

Can you not just say, you thought you applied for it?. As you say it's going back months. It's just your word against the agencies and as we all know there are some pretty useless incompetent people who work for employment agencies.


Also you haven't mentioned. Could the job have been outside your travelling area or lower than the rate of pay you would be willing to work from your JCP agreement ?

The OP would need evidence of the application, "I thought I applied" would not be sufficient evidence.

Due to the time the OP has been claiming, they are not able to limit their search according to salary. They can still limit their search due to location, but the search area is pretty wide.

anamenottaken

How is the Work Programme advisor looking at what you have applied for and how are they suggesting you keep records of jobs applied for, those followed up, interviews, etc? They should help you refine your system so that you can at least answer similar questions in the future.

CCFC_80

mynameistallulah wrote: »

The OP would need evidence of the application, "I thought I applied" would not be sufficient evidence.

Due to the time the OP has been claiming, they are not able to limit their search according to salary. They can still limit their search due to location, but the search area is pretty wide.

You mean that written log thing that they give you which I used to fill out and complete in in about 3 weeks. Are You expected to keep a record of all your applications and actions required since signing on? even upto say 12 months ago. I used to throw all of these away once I had filled up one of these. It was never stipulated that you had to retain these, only just to show the Jcp adviser what you applied for over the past 2 weeks

I would say,Yes I definitely applied for it and it was on my written jobsearch log book but no longer have it as you wouldn't be expected to keep records maybe upto 6 months ago. As I say it is still a your word against theirs situation

mynameistallulah

CCFC_80 wrote: »

You mean that written log thing that they give you which I used to fill out and complete in in about 3 weeks. Are You expected to keep a record of all your applications and actions required since signing on? even upto say 12 months ago. I used to throw all of these away once I had filled up one of these. It was never stipulated that you had to retain these, only just to show the Jcp adviser what you applied for over the past 2 weeks

I would say,Yes I definitely applied for it and it was on my written jobsearch log book but no longer have it as you wouldn't be expected to keep records maybe upto 6 months ago. As I say it is still a your word against theirs situation

No, I mean a copy of the application, proof that the application was submitted (email, proof of posting etc), possibly proof of a follow up call to check on the progress of the application. The JCP should not have to stipulate such things to you, you should be doing this for your own benefit. If not, what would you do if you were offered an interview and had no record of what you had applied for?

In a "your word against theirs situation", they will decide who is right on the balance of probabilities. In the absence of any evidence of an application, the OP would be sanctioned.

CCFC_80

mynameistallulah wrote: »

No, I mean a copy of the application, proof that the application was submitted (email, proof of posting etc), possibly proof of a follow up call to check on the progress of the application. The JCP should not have to stipulate such things to you, you should be doing this for your own benefit. If not, what would you do if you were offered an interview and had no record of what you had applied for?

In a "your word against theirs situation", they will decide who is right on the balance of probabilities. In the absence of any evidence of an application, the OP would be sanctioned.

My understanding is that the OP can't remember if she applied or not and the agency are saying she didn't. I think in all fairness, if she now has got the exact details of the job she should know whether or not she applied. If she applied then I would explain the seriousness of the issue regarding the consequences of a sanction and ask the agency to back down and say they made an error.

As for your comment about a record of attending an interview, you still get verbal offers of interviews and if you are unsuccessful, often the employer can't be arsed to let you know.You would have no record of attending an interview and would have to rely on the company concerned that you attended, should it needed to be verified by the JCP.