Universal Jobmatch

[jasta11]

Signed on yesterday - no mention of UJ by my advisor. However, I was told that they're not using the normal Jobsearch Diary any more and was given a sheet of A4 which, when examined, seemed to consist of 4 similar diary-style pages (and very small they were too!). Apparently I now have to use this to record my jobsearch info, so I'll need to practise my microscopic writing skills. Added to which, the sheet was photocopied very faintly and skewed - they can't even get that right!

 

My advisor said that it's now more geared to the JS Agreement and that I should always put stuff which backs up what's on there, so if I'm supposed to contact friends twice a week to ask about jobs then I should put that. Basically cover whatever the JS Agreement says. No problem with that.

 

The interesting point was that my advisor then said I should also put down the jobs which I've looked at, but didn't apply for...and the reason why I didn't apply. Yeah right!! As If I'm going to put anything negative on a Jobsearch form!!!

 

This is very reminiscent of UJ itself; asking for reasons why you didn't apply. If anyone else has been told to use this form, make sure you fill it in to match your JS Agreement and don't put anything negative on it. Just giving people the heads up.

[Ktker]

I have been using jump for couple of months and have been sending dwp numerous emails to tell them about bugs etc ( have a computer degree) any how's, yesterday I was logged into jobmatch and used their "contact" function to email them about a technical issue I was having - thing is they emailed their reply to my son's email address. Have no idea how this happened as jobmatch only has my email address and I was logged In, must be something to do with the cookies - but see a major breach of confidentiality here!!

[impecunious]

Had my three month appt with personal adviser yesterday -- thankfully only lasted 20 minute and not the scheduled hour.

 

If I had to record all the vacancies I'd looked at each week, that would number approximately 500-600 minimum ..... they could always pay me to record them and supply reams of plain paper! Not best use of anyone's time or nature's very limited resources but, yes, would replicate question asked on UJM vacancies as you why you didn't apply.

 

I was once again made aware that my refusal - strong word - to share my UJM account details with them precluded me from being sent hundreds of really useful e-mails each week that may help me secure employment. Hmmmmm, were all these e-mails actually tailor-made for my specific needs? Thought not, so NO not sharing my information with them - my in-box is full of **** as it is. Apparently, I'm in the minority at our JCP -- 99.0% do share their details. Obviously, I don't believe that for a second.

 

Unlke jasta111, I was just given a new Job Search Activity Record booklet as per usual. My failing eyesight and (large) totally illegible scrawl would prevent me from using a form with microscopic spaces for microscopic writing .... ask them to blow it up to A3 size so it's easier to use.

 

I was made aware that travel expenses may be available to attend interviews which are more than 50 miles distance from your home. I would suggest that if JCP advisor phoned up any potential employer of mine to ask if they were paying my travel expenses, that the employer would rapidly re-consider my ability to take up the role.

 

Job search activity has been increased to 10 per week - but still way below my usual of maybe 20-30 per week. Keep up Knob Centre.

 

So, all in all, another uneventful jobless week.

 

Happy Snowy Wonderland Weekend to all those who have white, fluffy stuff falling from the skies.

 

 

Impecunious!

[dyfed]

It seems rediculous that they expect you to travel fifty miles or more to work.

As far as the knob centre go I cant drive. Public transport where I live is either by a once a week stagecoach or donkey.

Anyway I cant walk to my nearest bus stop or railway station because of illness.

[Bakatcha]

It seems rediculous that they expect you to travel fifty miles or more to work.

As far as the knob centre go I cant drive. Public transport where I live is either by a once a week stagecoach or donkey.

Anyway I cant walk to my nearest bus stop or railway station because of illness.

I think the official line is that travel can be up to one and a half hours each way (no distance specified). I take this to mean "door to door".

One of the online maps (I can't remember which one) has a useful function which shows the travel time between two chosen places. This can be done using the "public transport" option. Often a travel time of, say 50 mins by car will be well over 2 hours by public transport. If involved in a discussion about what is or is not 90 minutes travel time use the info to justify your case.

[impecunious]

I think the official line is that travel can be up to one and a half hours each way (no distance specified). I take this to mean "door to door".

One of the online maps (I can't remember which one) has a useful function which shows the travel time between two chosen places. This can be done using the "public transport" option. Often a travel time of, say 50 mins by car will be well over 2 hours by public transport. If involved in a discussion about what is or is not 90 minutes travel time use the info to justify your case.

 

 

The 90 minutes travel time is based on using public transport ... (basically that may only take you 5-6 miles from home to work depending on logistics) ... the 50+ mile travel expenses for interviews is when people decide to expand their job search and look outside the 90 minute public transport zone.

 

Those people with their own vehicles when they start claiming JSA may not actually still have their car 3-6 months in due to high running costs, so assume most of us will end up having to use public transport til they find a new job.

 

 

Impecunious!

[dyfed]

Thanks for the info Bakatcha.

 

Even 1.5 hours is too long for me and is unreasonable to expect anyone to spend 3 hours a day travel. Then there is the cost.

[impecunious]

Thanks for the info Bakatcha.

 

Even 1.5 hours is too long for me and is unreasonable to expect anyone to spend 3 hours a day travel. Then there is the cost.

 

Personally speaking, I'd hate to go back to commuting to and from again ... BUT, it's expected -- can't use the excuse that "it's too far to travel" anymore ... Another good reason NOT to give DWP UJM account information ... because you now have to state why you didn't apply for a particular job - it's far too easy to be sanctioned nowadays.

 

Under the old guidelines, I'd be retiring at the end of this year .... sadly, not easy to find a decent, well-paying full time job when you're almost 60 .... the next 6 years are going to be fun! NOT!!!

 

 

Impecunious!

[jasta11]

When UJ becomes compulsory, I'll first look on the site without logging in and find jobs I'm definitely going to apply for (mostly ones by agencies I'm already registered with and trust) - then log in and apply for them, so that there's no chance of me ever looking at a vacancy and not applying for it. I don't ever intend to put anything negative on that site, I'm sure we all think the same.

 

You can bet your life there will be something in the website which logs each vacancy we look at..and notes that we didn't apply for it, whether we're daft enough to fill in the 'Reasons for not applying' box or not. if the JC see we looked at a vacancy supposedly within our capabilities but then skipped the page, they'll be asking why.

 

It's exactly what I'd do if I was the JC - we need to try and think like them, so we can pre-empt anything they do.

[dyfed]

Yeh but you wont apply for jobs in Scotland if you live in Kent and you wont know its in Scotland till you read the vacancy details. The same goes for qualifications. Do they honestly want me, who can hardly read or write, being a brain surgeon?

[dyfed]

Has anyone heard of or had experiance where you are forced into applying for commision paid jobs?

Surely they cant make you apply for a job like this can they?

 

http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/a-deadly-warning-from-across-the-ocean-for-universal-jobmatch/

[joeski]

i don't think UJM will ever become fully compulsory as sooner or later everyone will wise up and stop using it

[dogboneday]

Thanks for the info Bakatcha.

 

Even 1.5 hours is too long for me and is unreasonable to expect anyone to spend 3 hours a day travel. Then there is the cost.

 

Cough!!!! Too long? Tell that to those that regularly travel in excess of 3 hours a day just to get to work to earn money for their family.

 

I used to drive to SE London and back every day for 8 years. At worst a total of 5 hours a day and that was after working for between 10 and 12 hours!!

 

As for the cost, it is acceptable and normal nowadays that at least 25% of your take home wage goes on transportation costs to get to and from work.

 

What do people want? A job that is only a 5 minute walk from home with a minimum of £20 an hour??

[dogboneday]

Personally speaking, I'd hate to go back to commuting to and from again ... BUT, it's expected -- can't use the excuse that "it's too far to travel" anymore ... Another good reason NOT to give DWP UJM account information ... because you now have to state why you didn't apply for a particular job - it's far too easy to be sanctioned nowadays.

 

Under the old guidelines, I'd be retiring at the end of this year .... sadly, not easy to find a decent, well-paying full time job when you're almost 60 .... the next 6 years are going to be fun! NOT!!!

 

 

Impecunious!

 

When I retired at 60, 4 years ago it was the best thing that I ever did. I've seen my children and grandchildren more in those 4 years than in the previous 30 odd years whilst working. The gardening gets done, the decorating and we always find time to go out at least once a week somewhere plus the long weekends away in the caravan.

[dogboneday]

Yeh but you wont apply for jobs in Scotland if you live in Kent and you wont know its in Scotland till you read the vacancy details. The same goes for qualifications. Do they honestly want me, who can hardly read or write, being a brain surgeon?

 

My brother in law did!! He lives in Manchester but goes where the work is, Aberdeen, Wales and even Kent!! Currently he is in Africa (Nigeria) on his 3rd 6 monthly contract. 6 months away 2 weeks home then off again for another 6 months. After that it is Indonesia for 18 months, then the States followed by Iraq.

 

If you want the work and the money to go with it, you have to go where it is - it won't travel to you!

[dogboneday]

Has anyone heard of or had experiance where you are forced into applying for commision paid jobs?

Surely they cant make you apply for a job like this can they?

 

http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2013/03/24/a-deadly-warning-from-across-the-ocean-for-universal-jobmatch/

 

A job is a job!! Or are you suggesting that people should be spoonfed instead of having to graft for a living?

[RealName]

Cough!!!! Too long? Tell that to those that regularly travel in excess of 3 hours a day just to get to work to earn money for their family.

 

I used to drive to SE London and back every day for 8 years. At worst a total of 5 hours a day and that was after working for between 10 and 12 hours!!

 

As for the cost, it is acceptable and normal nowadays that at least 25% of your take home wage goes on transportation costs to get to and from work.

 

What do people want? A job that is only a 5 minute walk from home with a minimum of £20 an hour??

I'm sure people aren't objecting to jobs where they have to spend 25% of their wages on travel costs. The fact is that JSA claimants are being forced to apply for jobs where they would be left with a pound a day after travel costs are taken away. We're also being asked to apply for jobs where the travel costs are above the wage.

 

Here's a job I was made to apply for today:

 

Cleaning for two hours a day, five days a week being paid minimum wage. It's £75 a day in travel costs for a one hour journey each way.

 

I was immediately rejected for living too far. I was also told that I was the 7th applicant from my area that day. That's a lot of applicants from this far afield. Surely you see that it isn't worth us having this job in the first place?

[osdset]

A job is a job, well one could always get a commission only job in Nigeria and be quite happy to pay 25% of commission earned on fares. Plenty of time left over for pottering around in the garden and fixing the flat tire on the 35 ft luxury mobile home.

 

Oops Iv'e fed it!

[SWLABR9]

The point is that people are being sent to work miles away to do minimum wage jobs. They're being asked to work for less take-home pay than their fares cost them and being sanctioned when they, quite rightly, refuse. There's no comparison with your brother-in-law's circumstances, therefore.

[impecunious]

A job is a job!! Or are you suggesting that people should be spoonfed instead of having to graft for a living?

 

I researched a potential vacancy in the charity sector only to find out that payment would be on a commission basis only. Now I know from lengthy past experience with this type of fundraising that after research and intelligence gathering, gaining a thorough knowledge of the "cause" and its financial set-up, and submitting a tailor-made application for funding and awaiting a response - takes on average 4-6 months (and sometimes up to a year) ...... with say only a 10-15% chance of a successful outcome. Commission would only be paid on successful outcomes.

 

There is no way I could afford to go to work for that length of time (having to sign off JSA, HB, CT etc) ...... with no basic wage and no real guarantee of any future income.

 

I certainly don't want to be spoon-fed but I would never apply for this type of commission-based work. It is not a viable option. And I would never criticise anyone else who made the same decision.

 

Impecunious!

[impecunious]

I'm sure people aren't objecting to jobs where they have to spend 25% of their wages on travel costs. The fact is that JSA claimants are being forced to apply for jobs where they would be left with a pound a day after travel costs are taken away. We're also being asked to apply for jobs where the travel costs are above the wage.

 

Here's a job I was made to apply for today:

 

Cleaning for two hours a day, five days a week being paid minimum wage. It's £75 a day in travel costs for a one hour journey each way.

 

I was immediately rejected for living too far. I was also told that I was the 7th applicant from my area that day. That's a lot of applicants from this far afield. Surely you see that it isn't worth us having this job in the first place?

 

 

Two hour return journey? By car or public transport?

 

Don't the DWP do "better off" calculations anymore when a "customer" is considering taking a job that would leave them worse off than being on JSA???

 

Impecunious!

[RealName]

Two hour return journey? By car or public transport?

 

Don't the DWP do "better off" calculations anymore when a "customer" is considering taking a job that would leave them worse off than being on JSA???

 

Impecunious!

It was only a one hour journey. The travel costs are that high since it involves travelling during peak time, which increases the cost considerably. If I had the job I could travel up there two hours earlier, which would have bought the price down to £23.70. However I would then have to wait around for those two hours for the job to start. Even with the travel costs at £23.70 I'd still be spending more to get there than the job pays though.

 

Applying for and taking jobs are two different kettles of fish. JCP expect us to waste the employers' times by applying for jobs that we're not qualified for or are far afield. I don't know if they still have these better off assessments or not. I'm still trying to find out whether or not we can turn down jobs with higher travel costs than the wage without being sanctioned. I wouldn't trust asking JCP and nobody else seems to know, not even CAB.

[dyfed]

Cough!!!! Too long? Tell that to those that regularly travel in excess of 3 hours a day just to get to work to earn money for their family.

 

I used to drive to SE London and back every day for 8 years. At worst a total of 5 hours a day and that was after working for between 10 and 12 hours!!

 

As for the cost, it is acceptable and normal nowadays that at least 25% of your take home wage goes on transportation costs to get to and from work.

 

 

What do people want? A job that is only a 5 minute walk from home with a minimum of £20 an hour??

 

Well because of my disability and illness, which will always be with me and can only get worse, yes it is too far for me. The fact that you or anyone else can travel whatever everyday dosent mean that others can.

 

Just to add, I dont like the tone of your condesending comment very much.

[estellyn]

Well because of my disability and illness, which will always be with me and can only get worse, yes it is too far for me. The fact that you or anyone else can travel whatever everyday dosent mean that others can.

 

Don't feed him!!!

[dyfed]

A job is a job!! Or are you suggesting that people should be spoonfed instead of having to graft for a living?

 

I dont think you read the article, quite clearly.