JSA Bible

[abstibus]

I was chatting to someone on JSA and other benefits and he told me that our local newspaper is known as the JSA Bible. Apparently, people buy the paper and then use the job adverts to fill out their 'form'. They have no intention of applying, and the information is never checked (probably Data Protection).

[boxtops]

So what do they have to do, say that they are applying for those jobs? I thought claimants had to provide evidence that they were applying (copies of letters or emails etc. applying). That wouldn't breach data protection if the claimant themselves provided the evidence.

[abstibus]

No, boxtops - apparently the information is taken at face value.

[boxtops]

If so, that's shocking, I'll call that fraud.

[albaqwerty]

Just out of curiosity, would you expect the job centre to phone each business the claimant has written down on their form, to ask if they have received an application from that claimant?

My husband submitted several cv's on-line and would have had difficulty in proving he had.

[boxtops]

Alba, no, that wouldn't be a good use of time - but it would be possible to ask claimants to bring along a screen dump of the application. It wouldn't prove they'd hit "send" but it would be a start. I am sure that when OH was job-seeking a few years back, he had to provide evidence that he was looking.

[pink-kittens]

I thought claimants had to prove they had applied by why of a copy of the letter they sent? I know they can be faked but surely spot checks are made?

[albaqwerty]

The only evidence they seemed to need at that time was, as annemollie says, a form.
The date they applied, the name of the business, what happened and what I'll do next columns.

[sandyRoe]

There are nearly 2.5 million unemployed. It would take a lot of workers to check that they were really applying for the jobs they said they were.

[albaqwerty]

Also, not all businesses will post a letter back to the claimant acknowledging receipt of their job application, therefore another way the claimant cannot prove they have applied.

[pink-kittens]

There are a lot more than 2.5 million unemployed
I understand that it would take forever to check on every application, but a post check wouldn't take long?

Plus the job centre can and do call jobs to gain an interview for claimants so they must be able to/have to prove that?

[sandyRoe]

If there were more jobs available than there were people to fill them, checking on people claiming JSA would seen sensible. While the situation remains as it is now, more unemployed than vacancies, harassing unemployed people seems a waste of energy.

[THECORBYLOON]

In addition to whatever the claimants apply for, the Jobcentre will find job vacancies for them and the claimants will be expected to apply for them, if they fail to do that, their benefit can be stopped for up to twenty-six weeks. If the Jobcentre staff have any doubts about the steps taken to find work, they can contact employers to check. Folk normally sign on every two weeks and if there is a doubt about the steps taken in that period, the case will be referred for futher action and the benefi will not be paid pending a decision.

[factor-fiction]

I think most of the staff at DWP who carry out the fortnightly brief interviews have the nouse to be able to spot most cases where claimants are inventing details. If someone is determined not to get a job they could still get round any checks by submitting a poor application once a week. I have been on JSA(CB) and I got the impression it was a bit of a game- the staff knew that some claimants were trying less hard than others but knew there would never be enough jobs for everyone, and the DWP staff could use the forms as evidence if their managers ever challenged them.

[THECORBYLOON]

If the Jobcentre gives details of a vacancy to a claimant and the claimant does something to hinder their chances of employment either by completing a poor application or by the way they participate in a job interview, refusal of employment action can be taken against them, Their benefit can then be stopped for up to twenty-six weeks

[MrMister]

I dont this is of any real issue at all. What happens when you due to sign ? You get a little sheet in the booklet to log vacancies - no evidence what is ever required. Just fill in those tiny boxes showing your job applications/search as a log. Even if you use the local paper to make up the vacancies nothings ever going to happen, they will never check.

Unless of course, the JP in some areas of the country are demanding.

[THECORBYLOON]

You are counting on there being enough suitable vacancies in the paper each and every week but that is not always the case

[joko]

id be furious if the dole phoned my potential employer up to check on me...it could have a negative effect