JCP complaints procedures?

jen007

Hi guys,

I don't want to go into much detail so heres a link to a small background Here.

Today, I was in signing I got there on time, front desk said I still had time and to look at jobpoints. My name is then called and the advisor (not one I usually see) pulls me up for being late, warns me that I could receive a fine and made me feel so small I thought I was going to burst out crying in front of her.

She said she'd looked at my file -before I had even sat down with her- and said because of my history 'I need to watch myself'. (I will assume she means from when I first ever signed on and did miss an appointment, I appealed and they just threw it out.) And from the story of the link above.

I'm never late. And have attended all appointments since June 8th (i think) since I got my first ever sanction for not attending.

I have not got round to complaining about the above so figure I'll just kill two birds with one stone. (I'm not complaining about my appeal in case anyone jumps on that)

But trying to actually find the complaints procedure and an email address to complain to is proving hard.

https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus - it should have it there according to the DWP complaints and appeals page but it doesn't.


Halp?

rogerblack

I suspect this was to put you 'on notice' that the sanctions outlined in http://www.dwp.gov.uk/adviser/updates/jsa-sanction-changes/ may apply.
Specifically, the 'within 52 weeks'
Lower level sanctions (for example for failing to attend an adviser interview) will lead to claimants losing all of their JSA for a fixed period of four weeks for the first failure, followed by 13 weeks for subsequent failures (within a 52 week period of their last failure)


I am not sure the above applies to you.

What exactly are you complaining about.
Her rudeness?
Her claiming you were late?


http://www.rightsnet.org.uk/forums/viewthread/3847/ refers to the lack of complaints procedure.
The first point of call is to complain at the office - the jobcentre in question, then it escalates.

You need to work out what actions she took - and consider those seperately from her rudeness.
Has she taken any incorrect action based on erroneous info.

Why were you sanctioned, and did you appeal this at the time?
You would normally be out of time to appeal a sanction after 30 days, and would need to make a 'late' appeal.

jen007

It was just her tone of voice, speaking down to me, speaking to me as if I was stupid, I tried to justify myself but I didn't even get a chance. I'm assuming that if I was to get sanctioned for being late, even though I wasn't... I would have been told today by the advisor?



She did bring up the new changes and that I agreed to be at the J/C 5 minutes early. As I said, I arrived early, front desk even said this and she still said I was late....

I just got a feeling that she was acting that way, due to reading any notes about me (I am going to ask for a copy of my file) and thought that i'd purposely not attended a work experience placement.

Which is of course untrue. I was going to complain about the things that have already gone on (the thread link I posted tells you about this) but I just haven't got round to it yet, and this has kind of hit the nail in the head. I've never felt so belittled in my life.

jen007

Bumping this, as i'm still no where in finding the actual complaints procedures.

rogerblack

See above referred thread.
First you complain to the office in question - go to the jobcentre, and ask how to complain.

1. Complaint to the office against which the complaint lies;
2. Complaint to the District Manager;
3. Complaint to the Chief Operating Officer (Chief Operating Officer, Department for Work and Pensions, 6th Floor, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London SW1H 9NA;
4. Independent Case Examiner (ICE)
5. Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.

This is basically the procedure that was outlined on the complaints website.

jen007

rogerblack wrote: »

See above referred thread.
First you complain to the office in question - go to the jobcentre, and ask how to complain.

This is basically the procedure that was outlined on the complaints website.

Apologies. I was extremely tired last night and skim read. Thank you so much.

samsmoot

I would hardly ever suggest not complaining about any authority or government agency but without even reading the details of your complaint I would say forget it. Make sure they have in writing your side of the story, of course, but don't expect anything to come of it.

The DWP are as hard headed as they come and you will likely only get satisfaction once it reaches the Parliamentary Ombudsman, but that's a long shot as well.

If you were appealing a decision I would say go ahead, but a complaint isn't going anywhere. Sure, you should try the first stage or two if you feel that aggrieved, and you never know - you might get a result. But in all honesty you are probably wasting your time.

The DWP are a completely different kettle of fish to any other government department and you will discover, as you progress through the complaints procedure, that they are more or less a law unto themselves - or at least like to think they are.

Seriously, consider not bothering too much.

miduck

samsmoot wrote: »

I would hardly ever suggest not complaining about any authority or government agency but without even reading the details of your complaint I would say forget it. Make sure they have in writing your side of the story, of course, but don't expect anything to come of it.

The DWP are as hard headed as they come and you will likely only get satisfaction once it reaches the Parliamentary Ombudsman, but that's a long shot as well.

If you were appealing a decision I would say go ahead, but a complaint isn't going anywhere. Sure, you should try the first stage or two if you feel that aggrieved, and you never know - you might get a result. But in all honesty you are probably wasting your time.

The DWP are a completely different kettle of fish to any other government department and you will discover, as you progress through the complaints procedure, that they are more or less a law unto themselves - or at least like to think they are.

Seriously, consider not bothering too much.

This is good advice. Complaining about someone's tone is never going to get you far as it is so open to interpretation - one person's "patronising" is another's efficient/ to the point.