Unemployed to be given 'attitude tests' by Job Centres

Morglin

"Benefits claimants will undergo interviews to assess whether they have a psychological resistance to work, the employment minister reveals today.


Unemployed people will be subject to attitude profiling to judge whether they are “determined”, “bewildered” or “despondent” about taking a job, under plans prepared by Esther McVey.



Those that are less mentally prepared for life at work will be subject to more intensive coaching at the job centre, while those who are optimistic – such as graduates or those who have recently been made redundant – while be placed on less rigorous regimes.


Interviewers will assess jobseekers’ attitudes, behavioural norms and levels of self-belief by asking them to describe what they regard as the “risks of going to work”, the “value of work” and how confident they are of finding a job.


This will be combined with a profile on their background, looking at whether they come from a troubled family, whether their spouse will help them in looking for a job and when they last worked.


A pilot is taking place in three job centres at the moment, and if successful it will be subjected to a voluntary trial involving 27,000 jobseekers in 27 cities, which will assess whether the tests can accurately predict whether someone will take a job.
Ms McVey said she expects the test to be a “de rigeur” part of the process of signing on for benefits.


It is likely to be used to select candidates for the work programme, under which claimants have to work in order to receive benefits. It will also be used to recruit to a new scheme obliging the long-term unemployed to spend 35 hours a week at the Jobcentre as they learn to write cover letters and sit interviews."



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11078359/Welfare-claimants-to-get-attitude-tests-employment-minister-reveals.html


Lin :think:

FBaby

well it does make complete sense to me. There are often posts here about people who complain they don't get enough support from the JC helping them to look for work, whilst those who are actively looking for work and have a good chance of getting one soonish complained of time wasted by the visits imposed by the JC.

Not sure about the validity of these tests though, but as a principle, to ensure that resources are allocated to the most in need, it sounds like a good initiative.

melysion

Let's not kid ourselves. It's another sanctioning tool

Takeaway_Addict

melysion wrote: »

Let's not kid ourselves. It's another sanctioning tool

But one that if applied correctly not many people would be against, why pay money to those with a shoddy attitude to work. We all know these type of people are out there.

Podge52

melysion wrote: »

Let's not kid ourselves. It's another sanctioning tool

Either that or a means of finding a willing work force for the work program providers.

melysion

Ah well there lies the problem. There's plenty of proof that sanctioning is already unfairly applied. On paper it DOES sound like a good idea. In practice it will just be another tool to punish and bully the unemployed with. Sigh.

melysion

Podge52 wrote: »

Either that or a means of finding a willing work force for the work program providers.

Do people do the work programme "willingly"? (Not knowing much about them to be fair). I do wish that the government would just generate a few more jobs instead
Seems like a much better solution.

kaya

So all the unemployed people on this forum would be happy about taking a minimum wage zero hours contract job on where they have to be available seven days a week to work but likley only get three or four days then? As mentioned previously its just another sanctioning tool in the arsenal.

Takeaway_Addict

kaya wrote: »

So all the unemployed people on this forum would be happy about taking a minimum wage zero hours contract job on where they have to be available seven days a week to work but likley only get three or four days then? As mentioned previously its just another sanctioning tool in the arsenal.

If I was unemployed most definitely, I would do it for a few months before progressing to another company.

Podge52

Maybe I'm just a little cynical.

I was only referred to the work program once I had made myself more employable by taking on a voluntary role with my local library. This was months after I should have been referred, and I'd been pestering my advisor to get me on it.

Podge52

kaya wrote: »

So all the unemployed people on this forum would be happy about taking a minimum wage zero hours contract job on where they have to be available seven days a week to work but likley only get three or four days then? As mentioned previously its just another sanctioning tool in the arsenal.

I think I'm correct in saying that you are allowed to turn down zero hour contract work without sanction.

How long that will remain the case we'll have to see.