Universal Jobmatch CV security worries

prm1

I am seeking advice with regard to my doubts overthe DWP ‘flagship system’ Universal Jobmatch.

A brief history:
I’m in my mid 50s and until 3 years ago had maintained full employment. There then followed two health issues and claiming (a)ESA, (b) contribution based JSA ,(c) then ESA again.

Once fit, I started to ‘sign on’ again (late last summer) for contribution based JSA in the full knowledge (and acceptance) that I would not receive any monetary JSA benefit because of my level of savings. I am actively seeking work and have applied for numerous jobs. However, throughout my dealings with JobcentrePlus attempts have been made to persuade me to stop ‘signing on’ on the grounds that my NI contributions record will, at this stage, qualify me for a full pension.

I am reluctant to stop ‘signing on’ because if my NI credits stop and I suffer a major health issue I will have a broken period of contributions which may result in me losing out on health related benefits. Furthermore, the government is proposing pension legislation to change the contribution period for a full pension from 30 to 35 years. It may well happen that there will be future increases in the number of years required and I may fall short of the number of years needed for a full pension.

Jobcentre Plus persuasion to stop ‘signing on’ has recently become more intimidating. I have been threatened with sanctions if I do not post my CV onto the Universal Jobmatch database. There are well documented worries about the posting of private data on public sites. As an IT professional with a knowledge of relational databases I have a significant knowledge of how data is held on such systems.

Indeed , until March this year the Universal Jobmatch Privacy Policy on the gov.uk website stated:

...We have put in place technical and organisational systems designed to secure your personal information from accidental loss and from people or organisations that do not have permission to access, use, alteration or disclosure. However, the Internet is an open system and We cannot guarantee that people or organisations that do not have permission will not be able to defeat those systems or use your personal information for improper purposes. ...

Although this wording has been removed the concerns over security of data must still exist.

I am aware that the DWP public service unions have severe concerns over the Universal Jobmatch system. I am certain that the staff threatening me with sanctions are themselves being threatened if ‘targets’ are not met.
Hopefully there will be readers of this post that will be able to advise me as to my rights in this matter.

Many thanks for reading this post, and thank you in anticipation.

john539

Do you have a UJM account ?

Have you given them access to your account, as this is optional ?

How do they know you haven't posted a CV onto UJM ?


UJM is not in theory mandatory yet.

They should work with you to encourage you to use UJM if your job search is not good enough. They shouldn't threaten you, they should try to persuade you in first instance.

But they can issue Jobseeker Direction to use UJM theoretically if they deem your job search is not good enough, so they can easily turn that against you.

But, it's up to people to make a stand against unfair & wrong implementation of these policies.

prm1

john539 wrote: »

Do you have a UJM account ?

Have you given them access to your account, as this is optional ?

How do they know you haven't posted a CV onto UJM ?


UJM is not in theory mandatory yet.

They should work with you to encourage you to use UJM if your job search is not good enough. They shouldn't threaten you, they should try to persuade you in first instance.

But they can issue Jobseeker Direction to use UJM theoretically if they deem your job search is not good enough, so they can easily turn that against you.

But, it's up to people to make a stand against unfair & wrong implementation of these policies.[/QUOTE

Thanks for the reply
Yes I readily enrolled onto UJM on 12/12/2012... though realised that there were no great advantages to using it.

No They do not have access to my account - nor will I ever give them permission.

How do they know I haven't posted my CV? ...I was asked, and explained why I hadn't. IE that to put my full life history onto a system that I didn't know to be 100% secure was folly.

I believe I am an easy target for them to 'massage' their figures - if there was a job I could get I would gladly take it.

I do intend to make a stand providing I 'have a leg to stand on'.

cheers

missapril75

If you're concerned at the detail in the CV being on that website, can you omit the detail that you'd be concerned about?

If you're not finding the site useful, then it's not going to do any harm in posting a different version of your CV. (people do have different versions of their CV after all)

It also allows you to truthfully confirm you have posted the CV as suggested.

prm1

Missapril75....

thanks for your reply - I've now submitted a CV that that gives summaries of my education and employment without details that could be used maliciously.

ArtoDeeto

prm1 wrote: »

There are well documented worries about the posting of private data on public sites.

But you just have released private data via this forum???

Seriously what is really bothering you?

Reads to me like you are just trying to find a legal loophole to cruise out to your pension on JSA. Loop all you like but it won't work. IF you really want help finding work why not come clean as to your situation?

prm1

ArtoDeeto wrote: »

But you just have released private data via this forum???

Seriously what is really bothering you?

Reads to me like you are just trying to find a legal loophole to cruise out to your pension on JSA. Loop all you like but it won't work. IF you really want help finding work why not come clean as to your situation?

... I feel this reply by artodeeto is unhelpful and offensive.

1 - I have not released any private data on this forum... (ie name, address, DOB, schools attended, work history, email address,telno... etc,etc

2 - If the threat of identity theft doesn't worry someone.... they are deluded.

3 - I have no intention of cruising to retirement - help seeking work is welcomed - being treat by DWP employees with distain is not.

dookar

How are they going to sanction you if you're not entitled to the benefit?

prm1

I thought I'd post an addendum to this thread - as a National Insurance Credit only claimant I was firstly subject to persuasion to stop signing on - then gradually threatened with sanctions if I did not jump through the, in my opinion, inappropriate hoops that the DWP wanted me to.

I am not allowed to post links on this site - but if you go to "
publications.parliament.uk/" and "pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm130521/text/130521w0001.htm" you will find parliamentary written questions.

specific to this thread is:

National Insurance Credits

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether hisDepartment has in the last two years reviewed its advice on whether applyingsanctions to National Insurance credit claimants who fail to comply withjobseeker directions is legal under Regulation 8A(2)(b) of the Social Security(Credits) Regulations 1975. [155923]

Mr Hoban: The policy on credits only claimants has not changed—they will not besanctioned if they fail to comply with a Jobseeker's Direction. We did makesome changes to our guidance in 2012, however, to make clear that as there isno sanction for credits only claimants who fail to comply with a Jobseeker'sDirection then there is no requirement to issue Jobseeker's Directions to them.
(Marc Hoban is Minister for state for Employment)

I hope this information will be helpful to others on this site.
Many thanks

prm1

dookar wrote: »

How are they going to sanction you if you're not entitled to the benefit?

... quite - see my post above.... but the threat was to stop my NI credits.

dookar

They can't, as you've discovered