Jobcentre (Sanction Targets)

SJ32116

I've got a letter about a possible sanction for being ill for a work programme appointment. I rang up at the time and told them I wasn't coming in so why they need to !!!! about with this process is beyond me.

I'm going to write to them and explain that I was ill, how can they possibly make any other decision than to not sanction me? They've absolutely no proof either way of whether I was ill or not and short illnesses don't require a sick note.

It's also laughable how your reply is time sensitive yet they take the best part of 3 weeks after the missed appointment to write to you and then post it out 2nd class with a 2nd class returns envelope.

AP007

SJ32116 wrote: »

I've got a letter about a possible sanction for being ill for a work programme appointment. I rang up at the time and told them I wasn't coming in so why they need to !!!! about with this process is beyond me.

I'm going to write to them and explain that I was ill, how can they possibly make any other decision than to not sanction me? They've absolutely no proof either way of whether I was ill or not and short illnesses don't require a sick note.

It's also laughable how your reply is time sensitive yet they take the best part of 3 weeks after the missed appointment to write to you and then post it out 2nd class with a 2nd class returns envelope.

They probably have not made a note that you called and then at the end of the day have you down as a no show.

Did you record the time you called? Get copies of the phone bill and the name of the person you spoke to.

Use this as your evidence and note this always follow up any phone call to the WP with an email and get them always to reply to it so then they can not say you never told them.

Morlock

Dovah_diva wrote: »

If you put as much energy into job hunting as you do scaremongering, you wouldn't still be unemployed

It's hardly scaremongering when on average over 1,000,000 claims are referred for sanctioning each year. That number is likely to continue increasing year on year as the sanction regime is extended to more claimants.

red_devil

Its madness its costing them money sending letters out all the time.

SJ32116

AP007 wrote: »

They probably have not made a note that you called and then at the end of the day have you down as a no show.

Did you record the time you called? Get copies of the phone bill and the name of the person you spoke to.

Use this as your evidence and note this always follow up any phone call to the WP with an email and get them always to reply to it so then they can not say you never told them.

Luckily I always do an e-mail follow up with a read receipt which confirms it's been read because they usually won't reply. I've printed that off and stuck it in with my reply to them.

I dread to think how much will have been wasted by the end of this parliament on the god awful work programme and spending time and resources on going through the process of sanctioning people to have it overturned on appeal as it never should have happened in the first place.

AP007

SJ32116 wrote: »

Luckily I always do an e-mail follow up with a read receipt which confirms it's been read because they usually won't reply. I've printed that off and stuck it in with my reply to them.

I dread to think how much will have been wasted by the end of this parliament on the god awful work programme and spending time and resources on going through the process of sanctioning people to have it overturned on appeal as it never should have happened in the first place.

That's great and good for you as you have a read receipt and the name of the person you spoke too also?

Are you with Seetec by any chance?

Denning.

SJ32116 wrote: »

I've got a letter about a possible sanction for being ill for a work programme appointment. I rang up at the time and told them I wasn't coming in so why they need to !!!! about with this process is beyond me.

I'm going to write to them and explain that I was ill, how can they possibly make any other decision than to not sanction me? They've absolutely no proof either way of whether I was ill or not and short illnesses don't require a sick note.

It's also laughable how your reply is time sensitive yet they take the best part of 3 weeks after the missed appointment to write to you and then post it out 2nd class with a 2nd class returns envelope.

You were meant to be at an appointment, you weren't. Surely that is enough to withhold the money you recieve?

SJ32116

Denning. wrote: »

You were meant to be at an appointment, you weren't. Surely that is enough to withhold the money you recieve?

Should sick pay be abolished then as well? I didn't choose to be ill just to avoid going to the appointment. It'd have been pretty stupid to do so as I knew the re-arranged appointment would fall on the same day as another work programme appointment meaning spending all day with the provider which I can assure you will be hell.

AP007

Denning. wrote: »

You were meant to be at an appointment, you weren't. Surely that is enough to withhold the money you recieve?

No the money only gets stopped here on a sanction if you fail to attend and do not notify them just like you were at work if you didn't call in sick.

You are aware money can be stopped for 6 months or longer? Is that fair for one notified sick day?

You are allowed when signing 2 sick days in 12 months yet I am not sure at all if there is any ruling on attended the WP appointments as to how much sick you could possibly have.

Denning.

SJ32116 wrote: »

Should sick pay be abolished then as well? I didn't choose to be ill just to avoid going to the appointment. It'd have been pretty stupid to do so as I knew the re-arranged appointment would fall on the same day as another work programme appointment meaning spending all day with the provider which I can assure you will be hell.

You mean sick pay that doesn't payout till you have been off for 3 days?

I'm sure you didn't and I have no reason to doubt you, however I'm sure you are sceptical of many people who say the same thing.