Advice on Signing off from Jobseekers for reasons other than finding work

EmmalovesDarcy

I've recently finished Uni and have been claiming Jobseekers Allownce for approx 5 months with not much luck. The jobcentre recently put me on a course which i completed, however, i am now in a situation where i am being put up for a job i didn't apply for and which i wouldn't feel comfortable doing...i'm not sure how to proceed?? I understand that its not fair to continue to claim if i refuse this job but i won't be forced into a situation i'm uncomfortable with so should i sign off or will they enforce some sort of sanction? If i did sign off and was unable to find work, how soon would i be able to make a new claim? Any advice would be welcome :-)

ILW

First work out if their is a good reason for not wanting the job, or could you just be jumping to conclusions.

theoretica

When you say being put up for the job do you mean told to apply? Jobs have many more unsuccessful applicants than successful ones.

McKneff

Why not apply for the job anyway, it's a good way to get some interviewing experience.

Why do you feel you would be uncomfortable doing it even if you did get it.

jobseeking_help

To receive JSA you have to be available for work and actively seeking employment (ASE ). There is no exact definition of ASE but I reckon that if you write down you've applied for 2 or 3 jobs each week you're OK.

If you refuse suitable employment and that includes refusing to apply for employment the sanction willl last 13 weeks I think. They've just introduced new benefit regime, If the supension is for 13 weeks then you have to be off JSA for 13 weeks for suspension to have run it's course. If you reapply before 13 weeks then suspension may be introduced for period unexpired - depends on whether it's picked up at new claim stage.

Just apply for the job, or even just say you've applied for the job - how will they find out if you haven't.

If you do wnat to sign off you can just complete the ES40 or simply not turn up to an appointment and your claim will be closed 5 working days later.

EmmalovesDarcy

The thing is, the bloke from the course i was on has basically gone ahead and contacted a company on my behalf without telling me and arranged an appointment (i should say, he was doing it with the best of intentions) but the care company he has contacted is the one that is responsible for coming to my home and helping me care for my father. So in essence my work mates and bosses would be coming into my home in my personal life and then i would be expected to work with then in a professional capcity the rest of the time and i wouldnt be comfortable with that but im stuck because the terms of my jsa agreement mean that i cant turn down work and i dont think they would accept my reasons.

jobseeking_help

Emma

I understand your predicament. Perhaps you could speak to this company and explain your concerns about 'conflict of interests' That should be enough to keep them away.

Even if you just said you didn't think you were right for the job or gave some excuse and postponed / cancelled the interview it would still mean the company getting in touch with the training provider and they are very unlikely to do that. Even then for any sanction on your benefit I think that the provider would have to contact the JCP and any allegation would have to be in writing from the potential employer because you would of course deny it.

Certainly the bloke from the course deserves a smack and a phone call to his boss citing unprofessional behaviour and contravening the data protection act may cause him to stop and involve any joseeker in any contact with employers in the future.

Do treat jobcentre staff like the police - anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence against you. If you don't want them to know something don't tell them.

I don't think you need to panic. think it through logically - People worry that organisations commuicate between themselves when most don't. Most people who work for large bureaucratic organisations are a bit dolly dimple

EmmalovesDarcy

jobseeking_help wrote: »

Emma

I understand your predicament. Perhaps you could speak to this company and explain your concerns about 'conflict of interests' That should be enough to keep them away.

Even if you just said you didn't think you were right for the job or gave some excuse and postponed / cancelled the interview it would still mean the company getting in touch with the training provider and they are very unlikely to do that. Even then for any sanction on your benefit I think that the provider would have to contact the JCP and any allegation would have to be in writing from the potential employer because you would of course deny it.

Certainly the bloke from the course deserves a smack and a phone call to his boss citing unprofessional behaviour and contravening the data protection act may cause him to stop and involve any joseeker in any contact with employers in the future.

Do treat jobcentre staff like the police - anything you say may be taken down and used in evidence against you. If you don't want them to know something don't tell them.

I don't think you need to panic. think it through logically - People worry that organisations commuicate between themselves when most don't. Most people who work for large bureaucratic organisations are a bit dolly dimple

Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it! The thing is, the man who has put me in this position is in the pocket of my personal advisor at the jobcentre because one referred me to the other and its literally 5 mins from where the course is run to the jobcentre so i'm worried that if i even have a word with the man from the course and basically say 'look, i'm not very comfortable with this arrangement...' then it will almost certainly get back to my advisor and that will be it! Would it be better to do that (because i've not got a date for the interview yet so it may not be too late to back out) or should i just go to the interview and then hope that they understand my concerns and just leave it there, so to speak. Also, i'm worried about offending the bloke from the course because although its put me up the creek without a paddle, he only did it with the best of intentions and i'm worried that he will think i'm a time waster and that i've put him in an awkward situation for backing out after hes spoken on my behalf, if that makes sense? I'm very tempted to just sign off voluntarily and then at least i have the posibility of making a new claim in the near future, whereas if i get some sort of sanction then i might have to live on fresh air for months if i can't find work! :-(

jobseeking_help

Emma

Thanks for the clarification.
Yeah it's a little bit complicated. How about informing all interested parties - the training provider, the potential employer and the jobcentre - about your concerns. If you sweet-talk them - say how grateful you are for all their help ... if it had been any other situation etc.. As long as you show you are still actively seeking employment in every one's eyes then there should not be a problem. All the training provider is concerned about is getting you into work and if you say that you are quite happy to work with any other care company.

I usually think honesty is the best policy.

Is the chap at the training course reasonable ?

I do worry that signing off is acting precipitously and unnecessary just yet.

EmmalovesDarcy

Heya,

Thanks again for the advice; i'm going to ring the man from the course first thing this morning before he puts anything into action hopefully...i'm just going to explain my concerns and say under the circumstances i wouldn't feel comfortable with this etc etc and then if necessary i will contact the employer too. I'm due to meet with my personal advisor tomorrow anyway so i will explain the situation to him then and if he says it amounts to refusing paid work then so be it! I will post back and let you know the outcome! Thanks! :-)

EmmalovesDarcy

Update: After panicking all weekend, i just rang the bloke from the course and he was great about it all after i explained the situation...thank God! I'm seeing my advisor tomorrow and everything should be well! Thanks again for all the advice! :-)