Am I being made to work without being paid?

Calz922

Hi the jobcentre are asking me to do 'work experience' for a week but the woman at the jobcentre said "Are you interested in doing this work experience otherwise they will have to get a temp in?" I'm guessing she meant a temporary worker who would presumably be paid. It seems to me like I'm covering someone else's work for a week. I'm not sure exactly the hours or what I will be doing but I know it is for a week. So how do I know if I should be paid?

PasturesNew

It sounds as if you'd be expected the work for free, by calling it "work experience".... knowing there's no chance of a job there as they'd get a "temp" in, so there's no job.

What it might give you is something on your CV.

Does the industry appeal?
Will it cost you money to do it?
Do you need something on your CV?

If you'd hate to work there, it'll cost you £30 in bus fares and your CV is stuffed with work experience then I'd be tempted to snort across her desk .... before telling her you'd love to ... tell them to stick it up their 4rse

Calz922

Right. I thought it was illegal to make someone work a temp job. Meaning if I don't do it then they'll get a temp to do it. To be honest it is something I wouldn't mind doing just administration I'm just worried about going there alone in the dark it is in a secluded area. I don't think I have a choice...you know what they are like.

Undervalued

Calz922 wrote: »

Right. I thought it was illegal to make someone work a temp job. Meaning if I don't do it then they'll get a temp to do it. To be honest it is something I wouldn't mind doing just administration I'm just worried about going there alone in the dark it is in a secluded area. I don't think I have a choice...you know what they are like.

Would that still be a concern if it was a paid job?

Calz922

Yes I would prefer not to get kidnapped....I don't know why but for some reason I just don't like it.

Savvy_Sue

How many kidnaps has the company had? Do other people arrive and leave at the same time?

Stevie_Palimo

Calz922 wrote: »

Yes I would prefer not to get kidnapped....I don't know why but for some reason I just don't like it.

Is the vacancy in Islamabad or Kuwait by any chance as I'd say you may well get kidnapped but to be honest with you in the UK a kidnapping is very unlikely unless you either annoy some nasty gangsters over a drugs debt or are loaded an they want a ransom in which case you would be avoiding job centres.

soolin

Calz922 wrote: »

Yes I would prefer not to get kidnapped....I don't know why but for some reason I just don't like it.

Unfortunately with the short winter days most people have to either go to work or come home from work in the dark, many do it in the dark both ways.

If you are seriously worried about being kidnapped you might need to address your anxiety as it is likely that any job will require you to work an average length day and therefore be out in the dark. Otherwise you will have to join the rest of us who have walked alone in the dark for many years.

bluesnake

Take it if easy and cheap to get to. It will possibly help you a great deal.

You will make friend, learn how the system works, possibly get first pick of all incoming jobs, and wont be seen as a slacker.... for one week if work, unlimited tea, and no daytime heating bills. You may end up getting a full time job there.

Better than a job experience trainee shelf stacker at Tesco

leslieknope

work experience does tend to be unpaid. and if it's admin and through the job centre (i take it you're on job seekers allowance?) i doubt that it will be unsociable hours which means you won't be alone coming and going. it gets dark at 4:30 now so most people leave in the pitch black - i work until 8 some days so i never see the sun! but if you refuse to take on any work experience, i think the job centre may cut or stop your benefits as you're not seeming to progress toward paid employment.

Mersey_2

Calz922 wrote: »

Right. I thought it was illegal to make someone work a temp job. Meaning if I don't do it then they'll get a temp to do it. To be honest it is something I wouldn't mind doing just administration I'm just worried about going there alone in the dark it is in a secluded area. I don't think I have a choice...you know what they are like.

This is a serious concern, with a lot of firms from solicitors to call centres moving from city centres to business parks or industrial estates over the past decade.


Sadly, there have been attacks and as such in my city, firms have organised so that staff never leave alone - as well as the BID organising security for the area.


But on the substantial point - the DWP did state that they would abide by the Select Committee recommendation not to do this, ie supply claimants to firms who otherwise would need to take on paid staff. They didn't state by when, however, so this policy change may not yet have come into force. This doesn't mean that work experience placements can't be offered though, as essentially they involve shadowing staff and being shown skills.


I assume it was just an oral suggestion, ie a sanction can only be applied if a claimant receives a written Direction to join a scheme and then refuses without 'good reason.' [I can't list what are and aren't deemed 'good reason' as there are many and are determined by a mixture of past DWP practice in the Decision Makers' Guide and Tribunal decisions]