Universal Credit - can my partner be forced to take this job?

heathen23

Hello everyone,

We have just been moved onto UC from Tax Credits. My partner is self-employed but is not considered to be earning enough so needs to find another job. He has applied for a job that sounds suitable, is full time, permanent, and very local. No idea when he will hear back about it, application was sent this morning. 

However, this afternoon he had to go in for a UC appointment with a work coach who has told him to go in again tomorrow as a local employer is looking for temporary workers for the Christmas period and will have a representative at the Job Centre.

He asked what would happen if he had to take the temporary job and was then offered the full time job he had applied for but she couldn't answer that question, even though it seems fairly basic. (Plus it's an hour round trip to the nearest Job Centre and every time he has to go in, he is missing a day of his self-employed work and therefore even less likely to be earning enough - this will be the 3rd appointment in 2 weeks!)

It seems possible that having to give notice on a temp job might jeopardise his chances of being offered the full time job which is crazy!

Can they force him to take the temp job? We can't afford to be sanctioned. I though there might have been a bit of leeway at the very beginning of this process but it seems not!

Any advice or other people's experiences of this would be gratefully received!

peteuk

As part of your UC commitment you have to actively seek a level of employment, this is dependant on your circumstances.

Please note the words actively seek! Proof of applications, interviews ect are used to support this. 

If he were to attend an interview and be successful, then turn down the job this will affect your UC.  

TheShape

heathen23 said:

He asked what would happen if he had to take the temporary job and was then offered the full time job he had applied for but she couldn't answer that question, even though it seems fairly basic. 

The answer to that would seem obvious.  Quit the temporary job in order to take-up the full-time, permanent role.

If there are no restrictions (in your partner's Commitments) that would mean the temporary job is not suitable, they could potentially receive a sanction for Failing to Apply or Take-up work.  This is a high-level sanction and these last 91-days for the first failure.

Seems sensible to apply for the temporary role, accept it if offered, start it if the job starts before the permanent role, if offered, and leave the temporory role for the permanent role if subsequently offered.

Grumpy_chap

heathen23 said:

However, this afternoon he had to go in for a UC appointment with a work coach who has told him to go in again tomorrow as a local employer is looking for temporary workers for the Christmas period and will have a representative at the Job Centre.

He asked what would happen if he had to take the temporary job and was then offered the full time job he had applied for but she couldn't answer that question, even though it seems fairly basic. 

He takes the temporary job and quits if the full time job materialises, or does not start the temporary job if the full time job becomes reality before the temporary job begins.
I suspect the notice period for the temporary job will be very short so not a barrier to taking the full time job.
It is also quite possible that the local employer offering the temporary roles is expecting a number of people to accept but not actually turn up for various reasons and builds that into the recruitment.

On-the-coast

…and it’s much easier to get a permanent job if you’re already in some form of employment. Can’t see any downsides. 

theoretica

When would Christmas period work actually start?  I would expect it to not be for a while, and so more likely to have heard back from the other job, or been long enough to assume no news is bad news.

heathen23

Thanks for your responses everyone, this has set my mind at ease to some extent. theoretica - it sounds like the Christmas period work is likely to be available straight away.

HillStreetBlues

If you don' want the temp job, just be honest with the rep, tell them you are looking for a permanent role have and have applied, so if one comes up I will have to leave PDQ.

TELLIT01

Taking on a temporary job won't prevent him applying for or taking a permanent one if it comes up.  He just needs to let recruiters know that he has applied for other jobs.  It's their decision then whether to take him on or not.  Getting a permanent job can take some time so the income from a temp placement may come in useful, particularly as his self employed work seems to be limited.

diggingdude

The notice period for a temporary job won't be much. Take it if offered and then leave for the new job if it's offered 

frayedknot

Seeing as he hasn't yet been offered either job I wouldn't worry. I applied for hundreds of jobs and rarely even got a thanks-but -no-thanks reply, so don't get carried away thinking you're gonna get every job you apply for.