Having trouble with the jobcentre

Dunroamin

FBaby wrote: »

Can see why caring might not be the best career move for OP but cleaning? What worse excuse to give for not doing cleaning than being ill due to chemical? I had to laugh at that one! Amazing how millions of cleaners seem to do fine!

Plus the additional millions who manage to clean their own homes without keeling over!

MrHR

andy2004 wrote: »

my jobsearch currently entails 3hrs online jobsearch every other day, but my jobseekers agreement actually says 3hrs DAILY. as the sites i use dont get updated daily and 98% of the time even doing every other day brings up the same jobs.

You say the job sites you use are not updated daily? The majority these days are updated hourly so you should have no problem finding new positions to apply for.

Also don't just stick to job sites and Agencies as most companies also advertise via their own websites - As you have not worked for 14 years and are not willing to go into care work or cleaning as suggested by your adviser then perhaps look at retail - The following are all advertising general assistant vacancies [But hopefully you would have spotted these already if you really are properly job searching!] -

Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's, BHS, Mothercare, Superdrug, Boots, TKMaxx, New Look, Matalan, Primark, Body Shop, Whittards, B&Q, Homebase, Gap, Debenhams, Costa, Starbucks, Argos, Everything Everywhere, Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, Carphone Warhouse, Phones4U, Lush, Hotel Chocolat, Thorntons, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose, John Lewis, Kiddiecare, Topman....

Good luck with all the applications:)

dawyldthing

citricsquid wrote: »

A bin man is not a man made of bins. A carer does not have to provide emotional care, they have to provide physical care.

I disagree. I'm a support worker. My job sometimes involves personal care but often involves working with different agencies to help them access whatever it is they need - from doctors to dentists to anything inbetween. I listen to there wants and desires and act on them. If something is happening, whether it be, I am there to be there support so my job can vary and can be both emotional and physical care.

I do have to say though if you don't want to be a carer I wouldn't go into it as you wouldn't benefit the service users and they need people that want to do the job rather than just be there to pay the bills

MisterMan_2

Can anyone find a link to the story about the job centre employee having acid thrown in their face? It's just I can't seem to find it, and I think he just made it up to upset the job centre staff.

93123

MisterMan wrote: »

Can anyone find a link to the story about the job centre employee having acid thrown in their face? It's just I can't seem to find it, and I think he just made it up to upset the job centre staff.

Can't find it either. Something like that would be in the news. Made up I think.

ValHaller

andy2004 wrote: »

2 weeks ago when i was at the jobcentre the advisor said about carers and cleaning, and i said i was not going to do either of those jobs and she replied so your not willing to do ANY JOBS then. like carers and cleaning are the only 2 available jobs in the UK.

You should chill out a bit. If you do want a job, you should cultivate a more cooperative attitude in the Job Centre and agree with more or less everything they say to you. If it gets you interviews as a carer or a cleaner, that will put you in good stead with the Job Centre.

When you get to the interview, just let your natural acid throwing fascinated personality shine through - they won't want to take you on - you will be safe and more importantly, you won't be a carer.

Now if you get interviews for jobs you do want, just put on your cooperative persona you cultivated for the job centre and your chances will improve no end.

Cate1976

There is another angle to this and Op, I hope you don't take this the wrong way. There's several issues I see from your posts.

The first being that I think you now realise that the comment about the acid was inappropriate and even though you wouldn't do it, I can understand why jobcentre staff took it as a threat. I would suggest next time you see the person, that you apologise sincerely to them.

The second being I can understand your anger and frustration at the sanctions, all of which have been overturned. To avoid the risk of any more, I'd suggest you look at ways of ensuring that you do meet your JSAG which says 3 hours jobsearch daily. It should be doable if you check jobsites daily including websites for high street shops suggested by MrHR.

The third issue I see is the length of time you've been out of work could be putting some employers off giving you an interview, unfair of them not to offer you an interview but fact is it's easier to get a new job if you're already in employment. One solution to this could be talking to your advisor about the possibility of getting voluntary work somewhere or doing a college course in something you're not only interested in and would be willing to work in but also has realistic chance of employment at the end.

That brings me onto the fourth thing, I think it was unfair of the person in the jobcentre to interpret your comment about not being willing to do care work or cleaning as not being willing to do any job. I think what they meant was that the length of time you've been out of work, the type of job you're willing to do should be as varied as possible and I'd agree with that. I have to say that care work is a job which you really do need to want to do and also if you're in care homes, they can be very cliquey (I got sacked from one back in 2002 for 'not fitting in'). Also, these days you need to have at least NVQ2 in care to work in the care industry. Regarding the cleaning, I can understand you not wanting to do it due to the health problems your sisters have as a result of their jobs in the cleaning industry but I've a few questions on this:

How long ago were they doing the job/s? Depending on answer to this, it's possible that the chemicals aren't used anymore or the protective equipment used when using the chemicals is now good enough that you can use them without getting the health problems your sisters have.

What type of place were your sister's working in? If you are really concerned about cleaning in similar types of places which I can understand, then would you consider cleaning in places that don't use the same kind of chemicals, maybe cleaning in a school?

Due to the fall from a 20 foot ladder, I can understand you not wanting to work at height so IMO, you should be able to not apply for jobs which involve this.

I think your best course of action as well as apologising for the acid comment should be to look at ways of improving both your relations with jobcentre staff and your chances of getting a job. For the former, I think the suggestion of asking to change your advisor is a start, maybe an advisor who specialises in working with long term unemployed would be a positive change. I've already mentioned asking about help in getting voluntary work or going to college, both of which would give you a reference. Another one to ask your advisor about could be help in updating your CV but after listing your qualifications and employment history, make it more skills based think about things you're good at. For your JSAG, I think you could ask to have it changed so that rather than saying 3 hours jobsearch daily, it says check UJM 5 times weekly, check websites of the high street shops you can get to once a week for example. Maybe look at changing the jobs you're looking for to fit in better with what you could do with your skills/qualifications. Also ask your advisor to show you how you should be recording your jobsearch, I know it's changed so if you're doing it the way you've done it up to now, that might not be meeting the new rules so ask your advisor to show you how to do it (might help to avoid unfair sanctions).

As so many people have said, you do come across as being aggressive in some of your posts which I'm putting down to frustration at both the length of time you've been out of work and the unfair treatment you've had. I'm wondering if you'd benefit from going on a course for stress management?

I hope some of what I've said helps and that you manage to get a job soon.

busy_mom_2

MisterMan wrote: »

Can anyone find a link to the story about the job centre employee having acid thrown in their face? It's just I can't seem to find it, and I think he just made it up to upset the job centre staff.

Staff in some parts of the country are subjected to daily abusive and threateneing behaviour.(not heard of acid attack though!) some offices have several security staff, some have only one or two. Many jobseekers see their behaviour as an easy way out and by getting banned from an office they are eligble to still sign by post.
Personally, I feel, if someone behaviour warrants them being banned they should not recieve any benefit. If you threatended hospital staff you wouldn't be treated.
If a persons behaviour results in a banning order, this decision is made by a solicitor not a manager following many letters, witness statements and CCTV viewings.

ERICS_MUM

just play "the game", do what is required of you as laid down in whatever agreement you get when on JSA.

Go along to as many interviews as poss for the experience if nothing comes of the job. Do some voluntary work. Don't feel so angry toward the Job Centre staff - they are not personally responsible for your situation.

andy2004

Still waiting to hear about the job i applied to shop assistant. nothing yet.

There is no medical grounds, and not liking heights isn't a medical problem. its a basic fear of falling from height. I dont get dizzy.


Decided i've had enough, so contacted my local MP david willetts, his colleague is dealing with them, and not the first time.
They tried getting information from the jobcentre and where told NO, they didnt have my details, name, NI number, address, date of birth.

Had a nice letter from the jobcentre telling dated 29 May, which i recieved on the 6 June telling me their not paying me from the 22May to 6 August.
Followed by the council telling me due to over payment I have to pay £150 for the previous 2 weeks.

To the person who said my sister was making up her illness, considering her doctor is telling her she will eventually need a operation on her head to stop the pain she is getting in her face I dont think so.

The story headline was on Yahoo news, I should have taken a screen shot, when i saw it, I didnt actually read the story itself, just the headline. Maybe they removed it. But I definitely saw it on there.

As for the person saying maybe I should go to the dr, lol, when i had a kidney stone in 2011 which i thought was going to be a quick 2month ordeal, and ended up being 7 months, I was on esa, but after I saw THEIR doctors, they said I was fit for work, even though my own doctor said I wasnt due to still having the stone, so they sanctioned me.
Currently my brother in law is also sanctioned due to his illness he was on ESA, his own fault due to excessive drinking. but they are saying his fit for work which he is not.

for anyone interested i did find this pdf document
http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd5/rports2005-2006/rrep236.pdf

Department for Work and Pensions
Research Report No 236
Corporate Document Services
Staff safety in Jobcentre
Plus offices
Pat Irving and Ashfa Slater