daughter being made to go to work and give up degree

peculiarpetulia

my daughter is in the second year of her degree (not sure if masters or b.a but she has already earned the first degree), she tried to find a part time job to fund it but had no luck so has been signing on as her degree is only a few hours a week..........

while looking for a job she has been claiming job seekers and also doing voluntary work 3 days a week, she has done everything above board and filled in the forms from the job centre to say she was doing the voluntary work and still looking for a job

They have just phoned her and told her they have got her an interview for a full time posting at a supermarket in an administrative capacity (her degree is in art) and the interview is on monday. she asked what was meant to happen about her degree, they said she must take this job and stop doing the degree.

I cant understand why she must give up her degree she has worked so hard for, she is willing to do a part time job if she could find one and explained this but they said she must take this job.

Its so unfair that someone so hard-working like her gets her life ruined like this, if she takes the job she is unhappy and unfulfilled, unable to finish her degree that will take her to the kind of work she is wanting to do. If she doesnt take the job she cant sign on so doesnt get any money to fund the degree but must find the money to pay back the student loans shes had.

I really dont know what to advise her, can anyone help please?

dawyldthing

if the degree is only a few hours a week I wonder if she could get flexitime to work around her degree timetable or take holidays from work for the time she needs off for her degree?

peculiarpetulia

thanks for that - i will write it down as a question she can ask them when she has the interview...... thanks

gb12345

Unfortunately, she's claiming benefits on the basis that she is looking for a job therefore it is only right that if she turns down a job that she is offered she loses those benefits.

Of course if she wasn't to get offered the job, through no fault of her own, then her benefits shouldn't be affected.

dandelionclock30

Most supermarkets are very flexible and have lots of people working part time.If she gets offered the post then she could discuss this with them.Hopefully something could be worked out.

MissSarah151

I agree with the above poster - if the degree is only a few hours a week it should be workable. In the current climate though there will be so many people going for that job and being interviewed - and a fair amount of them will have admin experience, or currently work for that supermarket or another supermarket - so I wouldn't worry about anything too much.

How many hours is the job - what I class as full time and what the job centre class as full time are very different!

Sarah

peculiarpetulia

so, there is nothing to go into a major panic about at the moment because hopefully it will all sort out. She wont know the hours, etc until the interview monday. Thanks

ditzyat50

From personal experience I have found supermarkets amazingly supportive of their staff. I would suggest your daughter goes for the interview and explains that she is in the middle of a degree which she would like to finish because she is the sort of person who once she starts something sees it through. That always sounds good. But also wants to work and fund herself. (Another tick there). The supermarket will then decide if to accommodate her or find another person. And she will keep her benefits. That's what I would do anyway.

Ziggazee

peculiarpetulia wrote: »

while looking for a job she has been claiming job seekers

I think this is the operative phrase. As other posters have said, she is claiming benefits on the basis of being available for work.

AP007

Ziggazee wrote: »

I think this is the operative phrase. As other posters have said, she is claiming benefits on the basis of being available for work.

Yes, to claim JSA you have to be available for work and anything else you are doing wether it be a degree or doing up the bathroom has to be done in your own time

bluesnake

Take the job at the supermarket. I have never ever seen any job where they stipulate that they need a degree in art. I am sure there must be some somewhere but never where I've looked.