Group Information Session for an employer - mandatory?

buzzled

I've recently been asked to attend a Group Information Session by my work coach, for something completely unrelated to my previous experience.  I expressed that I had already tried this type of work previously, but I absolutely hated it and that I felt that asking me to attend this session would be unfair of them.

I also have health issues, one of which I feel would become worse due to the environment of work.

If I attend the session and feel that it isn't right for me, where do I stand? Can I just say no and walk away? Would I lose my benefits if I had genuine reasons?

I am being deliberately vague, because I don't want to be identified by anybody, in particular from the benefits.

Marcon

buzzled said:

I've recently been asked to attend a Group Information Session by my work coach, for something completely unrelated to my previous experience.  I expressed that I had already tried this type of work previously, but I absolutely hated it and that I felt that asking me to attend this session would be unfair of them.

I also have health issues, one of which I feel would become worse due to the environment of work.

If I attend the session and feel that it isn't right for me, where do I stand? Can I just say no and walk away? Would I lose my benefits if I had genuine reasons?

I am being deliberately vague, because I don't want to be identified by anybody, in particular from the benefits.

I doubt benefit officers are scouring this website trying to identify who might be posting - they have other priorities (although it is always wise not to post too much personal information - people can and do overshare far too much for their own good!).

Why the fuss about attending a one-off session? The clue is in the name: information session. Go with as open a mind as you can and then give feedback about what your thoughts are.

Brie

I don't know whether it would affect your benefits.  I fear that it might as that's the way the benefits people seem to work - if you say no even for a very good reason they may simply see the no and not the reason. (I got a right talking to once when I said I wasn't going to apply for a teaching role - coach said "but you have a uni degree" and I had to point out that while that was true I didn't have any teacher training qualification so wouldn't get past the screening process.)

I would suggest attending but perhaps once you get there say "Ah! Sorry I thought you meant X and this is def Y and I know I am unable/too unfit/something to do it".

Ath_Wat

Can you say "no" and walk away from what?  The session?  Why would you, once you are there?  It's only a few hours surely.

Or do you think you might get offered work on the back of it?

TELLIT01

The OP would be in a much better position to say that this line of work is not suitable for them if they attend the session.  Refusing to attend could result in sanctions.  Attending isn't the same as actively participating   It needs to be borne in mind that after a comparatively short period of unemployment, claimants need to be open to considering areas of work which would not be high on their preferred options.

Ath_Wat

What is this session likely to consist of?

It's worth bearing in mind that if you try and tell them that you can't go and sit in a room and potentially be bored for a few hours, if that is all it is,  you are going to set some flags waving as to whether you are going to be capable of doing many jobs at all.

buzzled

Firstly I just want to thank everybody for replying and being so helpful.  I am really stressing about this, thinking all the time about what could happen.

My advisor told to attend the session with my CV and that there could also be a few days of training.

The last time I attended one of these, there was an immense amount of pressure on you to take the job, unless you had good reason.  Which I did, thankfully - but even then, I felt I had to fight.

Basically I don't cope well in loud or fast paced environments.  The session is for a warehouse job for a well known employer.

I am going to attend, but I will make my concerns known to the employer, as I genuinely feel that this job is completely wrong for me.

I don't see the benefit of forcing me into a job that I will be unhappy with and inevitably end up back on benefits.  It does nobody any good and wastes peoples time.

Ath_Wat

So what exactly is this?  You say "pressure to take the job", is it a trial for employment?  That doesn't sound like something that would be called a "Group Information Session".  Was the last thing you went on called this as well?

Incidentally the system as it stands has no interest in finding you a job that you are "happy with".  That's not, unfortunately, what it is for; it is to get you off benefits.    As they see it if they find you a job and you decide you are unhappy doing it (which is different from being unable to do it) and you quit, that means you are off benefits, and they count that a win.

TELLIT01

Most people would be delighted to go through life only in jobs they are happy in.  The reality is that for most of the people, most of the time, it's accepting that not to be the case.  There is a difference between not being happy in a job, and being told to do a job you are not capable of doing for whatever reason.

I wouldn't want to be a traffic warden, but would be capable of doing the job.  I couldn't do a job where I had to be looking up a lot as I suffer from vertigo and go dizzy very quickly when looking up.

Ath_Wat

buzzled said:

I am going to attend, but I will make my concerns known to the employer, as I genuinely feel that this job is completely wrong for me.

I'd be careful with this as well.  If there is a job on offer and you tell the employer you don't want it, your benefits will almost certainly be stopped.

Dakta

It can actually do one some good to do a bit of what you don't want now and then, because youl be motivated and better resourced to identify and grab other opportunities. 

Don't want to sound like a cliche but if your looking for something ideal it likely doesn't exist in the form you want it, and one has got to live in the meantime

Not every jobs for everyone but giving something a go can be good because it proves even to yourself your ability to tackle the not so ideal, you don't necessarily need to stick it long term but use it as a starting point