Where do I stand with Zero Hour and Benefits?

[Riska]

Hello,

 

A concerned individual here about the potential possibility of yet another zero hour contract. I am being pushed into them by the Job Centre and the work programme. My last experience with one didn't go so well. I was having to phone on a daily basis on an 0800 number only to be told there were not any shifts available and this meant I was only getting 4-6 hours a week if I was lucky. Sometimes I went weeks without a single shift or any hours. At the time I was really struggling paying the bills and the consistency obviously wasn't there.

 

4 days ago I was told to apply for a job that I could quite easily do as an unskilled worker by the work programme. If it was anything other than a zero hour contract it would be something I would quite happily do, however I do not believe in this "They'll give you a good amount of hours" crap as it's definitely not the case. The job sounds easy enough and I am in no way disputing that, it is just the zero hour contract part that I am worried about with travel costs and the uncertainty on the hours I may work.

 

I am not work shy, but I do not want to be in that situation again where I'm struggling to pay the bills. "Well you can still apply for JSA while you work" It's all deducted and transport is not waivered. I end up gaining nothing in terms of wages if they do not offer a decent amount of hours.

 

I would just like to know what I can do about this? The work programme have since told me 2 days ago that they have special reservations for this vacancy and they would like me to come in for a self assessment and then have an interview with the company a few days later. Is there any way I can opt out without the risk of sanctions?

 

Advice would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks

Edited August 16, 2013 by Riska

[jasta11]

Hi Riska and welcome to the forums

 

This document should help you - it's a reply to a Freedom Of Information request from someone on www.whatdotheyknow.com (a source of good information and well worth looking at)

 

Document is here: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/166969/response/407562/attach/2/FoI.3022.RESPONSE.pdf

 

Towards the end is says 'Jobseeker’s Allowance claimants are not required to apply for zero hours contract vacancies and they will not face sanctions for turning down the offer of a zero hours contract.'

 

This reply comes from the DWP Central Freedon Of Information Team, dated 10th July so is current. I'd print it out and show it to your advisor and hopefully they'll see sense. (If they don't you can always report them to their District Manager and PCS Union for ignoring their Central office statement)

[Riska]

Is that official that Jasta? Do not want to be facing a sanction for telling the Work Programme that I'm not interested in attending the assessment or the interview because of having to be on a Zero Hour Contract.

 

This job was not found by myself, they found it and approached me. I just didn't know how to respond as I didn't know what rights I had, as declining the chance of work is seen as a sanction offence, but to be truthful Zero Hour Contracts do not appeal to me in the slightest as I have had trouble with them in the past, it really is stressful when you don't know what hours you will have and when you will next get a decent pay.

 

The job sounds alright. It's the Zero Hour Contract that concerns me and ideally I do not want to be doing one of these ever again. I did one last time just so I could get away from scrounging benefits and was left worse off. As they promise hours and then when you get in that work quickly dries up and you are fighting for just the one shift. All the time I was on that Zero Hour Contract I was applying elsewhere and never got anywhere.

Edited August 16, 2013 by Riska

[antone]

Yes, that is official. It's the result of a Freedom of Information Act request to the DWP.

 

Now, of course, some WP and DWP staff may not be aware of this, so if you do choose to decline you might have to write a letter to the DWP Decision Maker explaining why you felt unable to take up the opportunity and pointing out the response that Jasta posted. But for now at least the rules are clear: you cannot be sanctioned for declining a zero hours contract.