Looks like my partner will be sanctioned?

GamerInfo

Everything you have said has made perfect sense (i only wish we'd done it sooner) and the advice you have given has been nothing but helpful.

When it comes to the job center it's best to get a second opinion because when someone doesn't like what they've been told it can sometimes cloud how they deal with things.

You've just confirmed everything i was thinking re the email access, printout cost, bus fares and ultimately making a complaint to someone higher up than the jobcenter manager who will no doubt be slightly biased towards their employee....

Thanks for all your help i really appreciate it

Varren12

The best way to deal with them is make sure that any conversation/orders are in writing, or recorded, same goes for date and time. Lack of notes/records means you can, and will, get rings run round you by them if they think they can get away with it unfortunately. Especially in the job centers, where I seriously question how some of them managed to land a job.

BurnleyBob

Yes, record what the advisers say. Better still, film and record them with a miniature camcorder (aka spy cam).

Falsifying a CV is a criminal offence. Being able to prove that a JCP worker even suggested that course of action, never mind had the brass neck to instruct the OP's partner to do so, would land him/her/it with a P45 and a six-month JSA sanction, and rightly so.

Nightranger

Nope mate, if AP007 has a fault it is the very minor one of taking his/herself too seriously and I have said so in a much more respectful way than you seem to be able to manage. Like a lot of people who come to this forum AP007 is cynical about the tactics employed by the JC and probably, like me, is astounded how bad some advisers are. Just to get a flavour of how cynical JC staff are, go and have look around this forum and find all the JC staff that are trolling to give false information on threads and generally get up one's nose. Hang on a minute...

krok

As i have said on other threads.

Do not give them access to your ujm account. It is a sanction trap.

On your ujm make sure you apply to the minimum jobs your adviser says by only using the apply button. I know there are not many as they do tend to take you to other sites. It doesnt matter what job it is just find them, and then you will have proof on your ujm that you have applied to the jobs.
Take a print out of your ujm home page at the job centre computer wiwithout the adviser looking over your back and make sure you log out.

Then everyone will be happy and you can then do some proper job searching, not on the crap ujm site.

Do not be bullied and make sure you know the rules so you can play by them. Those are the dwp words at the pcs conferance, not mine lol.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

Get everything in writing especially the bit about wanting access to your emails. As far as I can recall, it is not a legal requirement to even have an email account, that is a personal choice and completely down to you to manage.

Ask the adviser for their email address and tell them you will happily copy them into all your applications. Once you have the request in writing that is.

Jumped up twonks.

makeyourdaddyproud

Yes, it's all very tasteless and unprofessional on the JC's part but the objective here is to make it extremely uncomfortable to claim benefit, ergo I think the adviser is doing her job properly.

The more these tactics are applied the more likely claimants are to find working (even with less money) at lot less hassle.

It's no secret that a lot of despondent jobseekers are starting to get very comfortable on the dole when there's few jobs: a see a lot of youths happier pushing prams with tracksuits smiling when they should be actively working or at least searching for work.

It's a no brainer to see that the increasing number of frivolous sanctions meted out does cut down the benefit bill, as there is less to pay out.

Put up with it, because it will get worse.

The next step is a gov imposed manual workfare agreement - no need for pathetic job search diaries!

Maybe it might cut down on the number of expensive iPhones and bling paraded in job centres.

Yes, it is unpalatable. But at least you have eBay to sell your useless gadgets when you are caught with the inevitable sanction.

Funky_Bold_Ribena

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Yes, it's all very tasteless and unprofessional on the JC's part but the objective here is to make it extremely uncomfortable to claim benefit, ergo I think the adviser is doing her job properly.

You think demanding access to someone's private emails is doing their job properly? Really?

makeyourdaddyproud

Funky_Bold_Ribena wrote: »

You think demanding access to someone's private emails is doing their job properly? Really?

If its a pathway to a sanction, then hell yes.

Voyager2002

I find this thread troubling: the JC here behaves very differently from the one where I sign on. OP, it is unfortunate that you are posting what your partner has been told rather than encouraging him to describe his experiences. There are clearly subtle details that are getting missed, and that make quite a difference to the situation.

One key point is that the partner is OBLIGED to provide evidence of applying for six jobs each week: the fact that he applies for far more than that is irrelevant to the job centre. So surely he could apply for just this number using UJM? Or if he were to print off six applications per week that would not totally blow the budget.

Again, he has been told to apply in person with a paper CV. For a limited number of jobs this may be a useful approach: perhaps he could try it a couple of times a week (choosing employers who are within walking distance of his home).

Finally, do remember that the bullies who see him do not have the power to impose sanctions: they can only put in a report to a decision-maker recommending a sanction. The DMs do know the law and follow regulations. Therefore, next time he is threatened with a sanction he should politely ask for an address for the DM so that he can write in and explain his side of the story. And then come back here, so that the knowledgeable people on this board can explain what the regulations say about the issue involved.