JSA Interview

Zandimos

Please delete thread.

Comms69

Zandimos wrote: »

Hi there,


Apologies if it is in the wrong forum but I was hoping someone would be able to help?


I had a child and she has just turned 1, I originally went on maternity from my workplace but I requested flexible leave which they declined, I appealed their reasoning for their decision and they declined it again without actually backing up their reasoning which I believe was wrong. Following this I left the organisation and have been claiming income support since August 2018.


I was told that when my child turns 1 I will be put on JSA and be asked to go to the job centre. Sure enough the day after she was 1 I got a letter stating I had an interview at the job centre.


The reasoning for not going back to work yet is because childcare costs are sky high, it is not financially viable for me to work as almost all of my earnings would go on childcare and I wouldn't be able to live. However, I have all intentions of returning to work once my child turns 2 as I will then get the X amount of free hours of childcare.


Will the JSA interviewer accept this as a valid reason or will they expect me to apply for jobs?


Has anyone been in this situation or have experience of what the interview goes over?


Thanks

I thought it was when child turned 5.

Exodi

Zandimos wrote: »

I have all intentions of returning to work once my child turns 2 as I will then get the X amount of free hours of childcare.

It's 3-4 (click here) and bluntly, I can't imagine the Job Centre will consent to you being technically unemployed for 3 years and have the state fund you, I think they'd rather you worked then spent all your earnings on childcare.

Naturally it makes no sense financially for you to work. Perhaps someone that has personally been through this can advice, I'd imagine it's extremely common!

[Deleted User]

If you are going to be claiming JSA than I believe you must be actively seeking employment.

John_G_Jones

How much is the child’s other parent contributing? Is there room for them to increase it to allow you to return to work?

Les79

Zandimos wrote: »

I had a child and she has just turned 1, I originally went on maternity from my workplace but I requested flexible leave which they declined, I appealed their reasoning for their decision and they declined it again without actually backing up their reasoning which I believe was wrong. Following this I left the organisation and have been claiming income support since August 2018.

Fairly sure they can legally decline a flexible working request if they can justify it business-wise. I used to look at these in an old job, and declined approx 10% of requests.


The main culprits were the parents who wanted to work 10-2 or 11-3 across 5 days a week (20 hours) around school timetables (or around childcare during the day). The sad reality was that most of our staff were in by 11am and 10-4 (except for 12-1 sometimes) was our least busiest time (with a nearly full compliment of staff). So there was literally no business case for granting the flexi. Also, granting even 1 of these (we ocassionally accepted one when concessions were made, like working 1 late a week or a weekend day etc) sets a bit of a precedent and "but X is on that flexi so why not me? That's discrimination" comments from others.


I believe I was incredibly fair at the end of the day, as granting a dodgy flexi like that would put more pressure on the other staff who have to work harder in peak hours to cover someoene who gets a cushy little number.

The reasoning for not going back to work yet is because childcare costs are sky high, it is not financially viable for me to work as almost all of my earnings would go on childcare and I wouldn't be able to live.

Ah right! A few queries:


1. How would you have coped money-wise HAD the flexi been approved? Or are you basically subtly saying that you were always planning on leaving the job to go on benefits? Or were you getting paid a decent wage (which would surely be better than jobseekers) hence a new job not being financially viable but the old one presumably being viable? Depending on the exact circumstance, I think it is suspect that you initially tried to get a flexible working pattern and deemed that (ie WORKING) an acceptable solution.


2. You are claiming for JSA right? That means you have to be actively seeking work.... If you have no intention to seek work in ~the next year (at least) then you shouldn't be paid it in my opinion.


3. Where is the other parent? Are they paying towards the child? If not, try and chase them for money. That's on the assumption that you are a single parent, but if you aren't then I have zero sympathy.

However, I have all intentions of returning to work once my child turns 2 as I will then get the X amount of free hours of childcare.

Oh yea, you just mope around for a year for your "free" childcare whilst I earn my crust and pay NI contributions which trickle down to you. Buy yourself a bottle of wine and raise a glass to me. Hopefully this Universal Credit will, when fixed, divert money from those who are work-shy to those who are either vulnerable and/or those who WORK to pay for their child (the one THEY brought into the world).


Sorry if that sounds a bit mean, but this is the sort of thing which (well you are probably the wrong gender to be fair) could, and does occasionally, cause absolute public outrage.

Will the JSA interviewer accept this as a valid reason or will they expect me to apply for jobs?

Try it.


But they will expect you to apply for jobs. They may also put you on courses after a few months and sanction you if you don't turn up to them or the pre-arranged job interview with one of their feeder jobs (think Home Bargains till work). Luckily for you that only tends to kick in about 1-3 months into it all.

tacpot12

You working and paying someone for child care is better for the economy as it means two people are in work.