Providing proof of jobsearch, JSA.

Dole_Scrounger

Hi Flyonthewall,:A

Thanks for the quick reply.;)
I get the feeling from your post that you have some experience in these matters. Just to clarify:

1. When you say take screenprints I assume you mean of my activities on the UJM website?

2. Does the Job Search Activity they want me to record only include jobs I have searched for on their(UJM) site?

3. Will I be OK if I can still prove that I am applying for jobs on other sites with prinouts, as I always have done in the past?. The woman at JC+ who dealt with my claim said I could use the booklet as well, but not to duplicate anything. She sensed I was a bit apprehensive, and told me not to worry, but she was a bit ambiguous about it.

4. Can they refuse to let me sign on, if I refuse to login on their system?:eek:

Thanks

geminilady

Dole_Scrounger wrote: »

Hi Flyonthewall,:A

Thanks for the quick reply.;)
I get the feeling from your post that you have some experience in these matters. Just to clarify:

1. When you say take screenprints I assume you mean of my activities on the UJM website?

2. Does the Job Search Activity they want me to record only include jobs I have searched for on their(UJM) site?

3. Will I be OK if I can still prove that I am applying for jobs on other sites with prinouts, as I always have done in the past?. The woman at JC+ who dealt with my claim said I could use the booklet as well, but not to duplicate anything. She sensed I was a bit apprehensive, and told me not to worry, but she was a bit ambiguous about it.

4. Can they refuse to let me sign on, if I refuse to login on their system?:eek:

Thanks

Hi,I Think Flyonthewall might mean screen prints of your applications.I record all jobs I apply for on other sites,most of them I find on Indeed so i just put applied for and the job title found on indeed and my advisor is fine with that.You are supposed to put all jobsearch activity in your notes for example if you hand out cvs or send spec letters put it down.Do not think they can refuse to let you sign if you refuse to log in or give them permission to log in themselves.My advisor has never asked for a print out and I don't have a printer anyway.

Flyonthewall

Dole_Scrounger wrote: »

Hi Flyonthewall,:A

Thanks for the quick reply.;)
I get the feeling from your post that you have some experience in these matters. Just to clarify:

1. When you say take screenprints I assume you mean of my activities on the UJM website?

2. Does the Job Search Activity they want me to record only include jobs I have searched for on their(UJM) site?

3. Will I be OK if I can still prove that I am applying for jobs on other sites with prinouts, as I always have done in the past?. The woman at JC+ who dealt with my claim said I could use the booklet as well, but not to duplicate anything. She sensed I was a bit apprehensive, and told me not to worry, but she was a bit ambiguous about it.

4. Can they refuse to let me sign on, if I refuse to login on their system?:eek:

Thanks

1. Of applications on any site. If you have it under activities you can take a screenprint of that. If you have any emails you could print them off too or screenprint to show you're getting replies (even if they're just for we have received your application or sorry you've not been successful).

Some advisors expect more than others. Some will be fine with a couple of screenprints, others want more. So if you take one of the activities, one of another site with the applications and one for email that should be fine. If they want more they'll ask for it next time and you can include ones from other sites or if you've not shown all applications/activities you can take more screenprints of each site to include everything rather than it being a selection.

2. You should include job activity from all sites you use (and you should be using more than just the UJM)

3. Yes, that's fine.

4. No. They may threaten to sanction you (even then you'd still have to sign on), but just say it's against the Data Protection Act. They can't break the law. Even if they did sanction you you should win an appeal for that reason.

I'd suggest having a quick read up on the Data Protection Act regarding the JC.

For you logging in you could always say you don't know the details, you can log in at home because the details are on your home computer.

If they ask for access say no. If they ask why I always said I didn't want to, but some will push it further. Stating it's against the Data Protection Act should be enough that they drop it, although you may well get asked again next time especially if you have a different advisor. Just a case of repeating yourself then (which is annoying but better than giving access).

xapprenticex

Man this stuff is so depressing, i dont see what the problem is tbh.

If you're long term unemployed then you should do everything you possibly can, those who say they only want to use 2 or 3 sites?? Sign up to all the popular ones, you only have to do it once.

I was made redundant recently and had to go through the ordeal of having to sign up, though I gave permission for them to check my activities (Because I dont see what the problem is) I dont believe they ever did as my verbal description of what I did satisfied them.

With my effots (stuff like signing up to more than 3 sites etc) I got an even better job than before after 4 weeks (i volunteered during that time, i.e. ebil UNPAID WORK!!!!) and started today and as an added bonus, not having to go to the jcp for a third time.

again, people want to play couch solicitor and find every way possible to avoid cooperating with the enemy/adviser and as a result getting their backs up, giving them the impression you dont want to work and making life more difficult for yourself in the long run. All they have to do is mandate you to come in every day or every other day.

anyway, your lives, but OP, id be careful who i take advice from because you may find they are in a situation no better than yours.

pmduk

I used to use UJM solely to record my jobsearch activities. The jobs contained on it were largely works of fiction.

xapprenticex

Yeah they (advisers) told us that was the case. They rquire you to write out plans of action and they say they will actually check these jobs that you applied for.

Tbh if you apply for a job, you get a confirmation of application, that's all they need to look at. If they choose to.

Flyonthewall

xapprenticex wrote: »

Man this stuff is so depressing, i dont see what the problem is tbh.

If you're long term unemployed then you should do everything you possibly can, those who say they only want to use 2 or 3 sites?? Sign up to all the popular ones, you only have to do it once.

Agreed.

I was made redundant recently and had to go through the ordeal of having to sign up, though I gave permission for them to check my activities (Because I dont see what the problem is) I dont believe they ever did as my verbal description of what I did satisfied them.

The problem is sanctions. It's a quick and easy way for an advisor to get you sanctioned if they wish.

Some advisors will be ok, but others aren't and you don't always have the same advisor. So best to be safe and not allow access.

With my effots (stuff like signing up to more than 3 sites etc) I got an even better job than before after 4 weeks (i volunteered during that time, i.e. ebil UNPAID WORK!!!!) and started today and as an added bonus, not having to go to the jcp for a third time.

Good for you, but not everyone is so lucky despite trying really hard to get a job and doing volunteer/unpaid work.

again, people want to play couch solicitor and find every way possible to avoid cooperating with the enemy/adviser and as a result getting their backs up, giving them the impression you dont want to work and making life more difficult for yourself in the long run. All they have to do is mandate you to come in every day or every other day.

Some do, many don't.

There are some advisors who make life hard for no reason at all, it's not always about the person signing on. In such cases you have to stand up for yourself or you'll find yourself sanctioned for no reason anyway.

The Job centre are not there to help people so often when they say do this or do that it's not for the benefit of the person, but to make it look like the JC are doing something. So it's understandable that people don't just want to go along with everything they say as numerous things are a massive waste of time and cost money too (such as group sessions/interviews).

anyway, your lives, but OP, id be careful who i take advice from because you may find they are in a situation no better than yours.

There are many threads on here about the JC and many websites (articles, blogs, videos, news stories) that all echo exactly what is in this thread, including information regarding the law on the UJM.

Dole_Scrounger

Thanks again to Flyonthewall for all your info.:A

To other posters who may have misunderstood the reasons for my questions, I say this::(

I do a lot of self employed work fixing computers and other things like selling stuff on ebay etc most of the year. I only sign on for about 2-3 months of the year to supplement my income, usually around Christmas time because there are more temp jobs around at that time of year.
In all the time I have been signing on and off the dole I have always done everything I can do to find and apply for jobs. I have always provided as much proof of my job search as is possible, using email prints etc. But every time I have been to a restart interview or similar, and every time I have signed on, I have taken a folder sometimes an inch thick with job applications, every one verifiable. Not once did a JC+ staff member even look at these applications, or record them on their computer system. On one occasion a female staff member accused me of not applying for any jobs. When I showed her the folder of jobs, she refused to even open it.:eek:
I have always suspected that JC+ never really cared about what I WAS doing to find a job, because this is not sanction-able. They only seem to care about what they think I am NOT doing to find a job, because that is sanction-able. This may seem cynical, but it is just what my instincts tell me. This is why I refused to give them access to my UJM account. They would almost certainly use any jobs that I looked at, but did not apply for, to sanction my JSA. The reasons for not applying for a job, such as a health condition etc, are of NO concern to JC+ in my personal experience. Give some people an inch, and they will take a yard.

Please Note: My MSE online name is supposed to be ironic, not a statement of fact!

Sharon87

On the UJM website there is a drop down menu giving reasons why you don't think a job is suitable. Out of curiosity I went to see if there was my job in TV on there. There was a similar job - bookings coordinator in a camera hire place. I just chose 'don't have the required skills' or something like that. So if you do search for a job and find that you can't do that job for whatever reason they give you options to why it's not suitable.

I think you're being very cynical. Whenever I have to sign on I just try to chat to the advisor and be friendly, especially on my first sign on. I find that if you appear friendly the advisor is more likely to be happy and not give you a hard time (well most of the time anyway). If you go in and say 'I'm not giving you access' and either act like you don't want to work or act like you're above going into the job centre the advisor will want to sanction you, not because you've not followed the agreement, but because of how you act towards them.

I'm not saying the OP does this, just an observation from when I've been signing on. The privacy in there is non existent, you can hear everything the nearest advisor and job seeker is saying when sat on the sofas!

Dole_Scrounger

Umm! Sofa's. Sounds better already. Do they serve tea & coffee, perhaps with a biscuit?:)