Could my Jobseekers be sanctioned?

Chester666666

Nightranger wrote: »

Surely it is a bit of commonsense though. I happen to have an Anthrax t-shirt (Art Of White Noise promo) and whilst I am not particularly a fan of the band, it is a comfy t-shirt. However, I still have it because it was stored following the terrorist attacks a decade ago and I am still selective about where I wear it. I worked in a primary school for a while and I considered it would be inappropriate to wear the t-shirt there, for example. There was more to the OP's situation from further posts but putting aside that offensiveness is subjective, it surely does not pay to give someone an excuse to object if you are sticking to one's guns over another matter. As I said, this is just commonsense and part of the process of holding onto a job.

It's forced labour in a charity shop so not a job

Nightranger

Chester666666 wrote: »

It's forced labour in a charity shop so not a job

So anything goes, right?

Chester666666

Nightranger wrote: »

So anything goes, right?

Read it again please

Nightranger

Chester666666 wrote: »

Read it again please

I don't need to read it again, your meaning is clear, hence why I asked you if it is OK that anything goes? Whatever you happen to think about charity shop work is irrelevant, the OP may not have volunteered but a lot of the people that work there will have and there is no excuse for showing a lack of respect or to have a little commonsense (and I mean in attitude as well as choice of clothing). Remember, the exercise is partly to ascertain if the client is work shy or is in some way unemployable. The default setting for the DWP is to assume anyone long-term unemployed is playing the system and the OP has now put himself under suspicion even if he did not realise at the time and his actions were otherwise innocent. To be honest, I have a lot of sympathy for the OP but all these situations are put there to pick us off and it is easy enough to get caught in all innocence without handing the bullets out to them as well.

Chester666666

Nightranger wrote: »

I don't need to read it again, your meaning is clear, hence why I asked you if it is OK that anything goes? Whatever you happen to think about charity shop work is irrelevant, the OP may not have volunteered but a lot of the people that work there will have and there is no excuse for showing a lack of respect or to have a little commonsense (and I mean in attitude as well as choice of clothing). Remember, the exercise is partly to ascertain if the client is work shy or is in some way unemployable. The default setting for the DWP is to assume anyone long-term unemployed is playing the system and the OP has now put himself under suspicion even if he did not realise at the time and his actions were otherwise innocent. To be honest, I have a lot of sympathy for the OP but all these situations are put there to pick us off and it is easy enough to get caught in all innocence without handing the bullets out to them as well.

So what about the person receiving respect too or is it just one way?

Nightranger

Chester666666 wrote: »

So what about the person receiving respect too or is it just one way?

Hmm! Bad form to answer a question with a question but we have already covered this in answer to the OP and yes, the OP should expect some respect in return. However, I am interested in why or whether you think it is acceptable to go into an unpaid work placement position with a 'devil may care' attitude?

Podge52

Nightranger wrote: »

Hmm! Bad form to answer a question with a question but we have already covered this in answer to the OP and yes, the OP should expect some respect in return. However, I am interested in why or whether you think it is acceptable to go into an unpaid work placement position with a 'devil may care' attitude?

I can see how somebody could feel rebellious at being forced to do something they don't want to do. When I say forced, I mean forced under threat of sanction.

Nightranger

Podge52 wrote: »

I can see how somebody could feel rebellious at being forced to do something they don't want to do. When I say forced, I mean forced under threat of sanction.

So can I but that does not mean it is right to do so. I guess this is partly an age thing, which is why I am interested. I am more the grumpy old man type than the Bolshi teenager/20-something that I used to be. It is not a nice place to be but as one gets older one also realises that certain ways of rebelling just do not work.

Another way of looking at this is to consider that the biggest majority of jobs available during a recession will be jobs that none of us would particularly want at any other time. However, these are still jobs that are better than the indignity of claiming JSA and becoming a performing pony. I still would not turn up for a job in my Anthrax t-shirt if only because I might be in the position of having to hold down the job until something better comes along in a process that could take years. So it goes for unpaid work placements. In this case, it is unlikely that a charity will generate paid positions so unpaid placements are not taking work from the job market a la the infamous examples involving high street chains. Therefore, you have to ask yourself is it fair to have such a casual or antagonistic attitude to those around you? I have done hundreds of voluntary hours for charities and I would have no objection to a work placement with one and whilst I would not agree with being placed in a high street chain, I would not set out to get myself in trouble.

Podge52

Like you Nightranger I'm also at the other end of the age spectrum and I don't disagree with what you say. I do work now and have for about six months but before that I was unemployed for over two years and had to jump through all the hoops the JC and WP put in front of me. Did I want to rebel, of course I did but age brings experience and you know not to try and fight the battles that can't be won.

A lot will disagree with my view but I would rather have stayed on jobseekers and the job that I have taken be given to somebody younger, somebody who is starting their working life rather than me who is finishing it. With unemployment levels the way they are the net result would still be the same.

RichardD1970

Oh god, not you and your T-shirts AGAIN!

Gay, straight, bi, whatever, to define yourself purely on your sexuality (as you seem intent on doing) is extremely shallow.