My local Job centre is closing down and short of staff so they are doing a group signing session where 14 of us attend at the same time and they check off our names then spend 15 minuets telling us every job available.

I decided to ask to leave once they took my name as far as I am concerned there is no lawful compulsion for me to stay but was told they would not release my money if I left.

As far as I am aware they cannot mandate me or sanction me for not attending a group session and this is what it is.

for my ills my money never went in after I complained and it turned out the advisor had not released my payment,

I believe this was intentional for daring to raise my head above the parapet.

Does anyone know if I am correct that I only have to have my attendance recorded and free to leave without sitting in the group for 15 mins listening to a advisor drone on about jobs.

Think you are on to a loser not accepting this group signing session as they want to run it, UNLESS you have a mental health or other health condition which JCP have accepted, where you cannot be in any group situation.

If you have such a health condition, then ask to see an advisor at the JCP to discuss the situation. If you have no health condition which would preclude you from a group session, then you will not get paid.

Check whatever you agreed with JCP. Bet it includes a generic wording requiring reasonable requirements on an ad hoc basis as required by your advisor.

As I said previously they cannot mandate or sanction in regard to attending group anything regardless of mental condition according to the regualtions

34. We cannot mandate a customer to a group session, although we can

issue a Jobseekers Direction to attend.

35. Given this customers can object to being dealt with in a group

environment and this must be respected. Alternatives to the group session

should be available where requested for JSA customers only.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/123985/response/303663/attach/html/17/Group%20Session%20Guidance%2026.01.12.pdf.html

Just to add a bit of meat to my argument, obviously if given a direction then attendance does not mean participation unless I am reading all this wrong but I do not believe the JCP has carte blanche what they can and cannot do as some people seem to think, there are regulations they must follow regardless .