JSA and UJS

[Lula]

Hi there,

 

I, along with many others, will be making a claim from Monday, I am worried about the Universal Job Match web site, when I tried to make a claimrivacy before, I was told that I "had" to allow the DWP access to my account otherwise I wouldnt get any money. To my mind this is totally against my privacy etc and will allow them to sanction me will he nill he. Is there any legislation that allows them to force me to tick the box or am I within my rights to decline?

 

thanks for taking the time to read this.

[kernowlife]

I had this when I was signing back in December. I was given the following advice

 

As far as I know, the guidance hasn't changed - and that says that they (the DWP) can NOT specify how a client shows their job search. It can be done on via UJ, on paper and even verbally. See the extract below, which is part of a reply by DWP Central Office 22/07/2013 to someone asking if they had to give access to their UJ account and quotes Chapter 3 of the Universal Jobmatch Guidance (which all advisors should know and abide by!) - I've outlined the main points in red;

 

190. The evidence of jobsearch produced when they attend to have their regular reviews may

be in various forms:

 information they have provided from their Universal Jobmatch account;

 evidence in writing from employers, employment agencies, or other organisations which

they have contacted;

 copies of letters they have sent to employers;

 the claimant’s un-corroborated written evidence, for example an ES4;

 the claimant’s verbal evidence

 evidence from previous Jobsearch Reviews recorded on LMS.

 

In response to the question you have raised about requiring jobsearch evidence from Universal

Jobmatch. Advisers cannot mandate claimants to give them access to their Universal

Jobmatch account, nor can they force a claimant to print out screen prints of their UJ account.

The extracts below from Chapter 3 of the Universal Jobmatch Toolkit clearly explain the

parameters when assessing what a claimant has done to look for work within Universal

Jobmatch.

Actively Seeking Employment

82. We cannot specify to a JSA claimant how they provide us with records of their jobsearch

activity and Universal Jobmatch will not change this – it is not therefore possible to require

JSA claimants to give DWP access to their Universal Jobmatch account.

 

The looks on their faces when I quoted paragraph 82 at them was a picture.

[Lula]

Thats fab, thanks for that, Its not that I am trying not to get a job, but I think that my methods are better.

[Gay_guy1986]

Op,

 

You do not need to give them access to your Universal Jobmatch account, its not mandatory. my advisor is cool with me for not giving him access, he said he is not going to force me

[Lula]

The last time that I tried to sign on she told me that I wouldn't get any benefit unless I gave them access.

[joeski]

The last time that I tried to sign on she told me that I wouldn't get any benefit unless I gave them access.

 

thats absolute rubbish, some advisors are just making things up to suit them. i would read the part of the guidelines to them that says you don't need to give them access.

[jasta11]

Report ANY advisor who tries to make you give access to your UJ account - in my opinion it's not enough to simply show them the rule because they'll just try it on again with the next person. Report them to their District Manager and definitely report them to their union, the PCS, as the union has in the past issued guidance to all Jobcentres telling them that they cannot force claimants to give access. In this respect, the PCS Union is on our side.

 

Also insist they record on their LM system that the client - you - has not given permission to access their account. They're supposed to do this anyway so that they can see it at a glance and don't ever have to ask you again. It's in their guidance so it's not an option for them.

 

All advisors know by now that they can't make us give access - they're obviously working to internal targets and being told to try and gain access.

[Mr.P]

To add to jasta11's advice: Allow the adviser to provide enough rope by getting the "demand" in writing and then include a copy of it along with the relevant sections of the UJM Toolkit (see attachment) in a formal complaint.

 

There is no enabling legislation that overrides your rights to privacy or protection of personal data.

[Lula]

Thanks for that Mr P, have printed out the relevant page 9 and will hold it just in case. Thank you all for your valuable help, will report back later.

[Jaybee in CF]

My "Advisor" tried to bribe me, into allowing the DWP access, with allowing me to sign in only every 2nd week, and simply phoning in on those weeks I don't physically come in.

 

 

Also, I don't know if you guys have noticed, but after completing the 'Work Plan' booklet there's hardly any space left (With normal sized writing) to detail any of the jobs applied for??!?!?!

[Lula]

Thats disgraceful !

[Mr.P]

My "Advisor" tried to bribe me, into allowing the DWP access, with allowing me to sign in only every 2nd week, and simply phoning in on those weeks I don't physically come in.

 

 

Also, I don't know if you guys have noticed, but after completing the 'Work Plan' booklet there's hardly any space left (With normal sized writing) to detail any of the jobs applied for??!?!?!

 

Unless the regulations have changed recently, there has not been any requirement to "phone in" inbetween signing on days. If your JCP adviser is insisting that you do, ask him/her: * Will they reimburse the cost of all call charges ? * Copy of the enabling legislation that requires you to telephone.As for job search diaries - Either compile a log on a computer and print out a copy to take with you or keep a hand written record in a dedicated book. You can probably find some large diaries discounted in the winter sales.

[Jaybee in CF]

Unless the regulations have changed recently, there has not been any requirement to "phone in" inbetween signing on days. If your JCP adviser is insisting that you do, ask him/her: * Will they reimburse the cost of all call charges ? * Copy of the enabling legislation that requires you to telephone.As for job search diaries - Either compile a log on a computer and print out a copy to take with you or keep a hand written record in a dedicated book. You can probably find some large diaries discounted in the winter sales.

 

 

 

I'm not sure they can reasonably expect me to keep writing paper. Sure I've got a block or two of paper, but shouldn't they, in principle, supply me with the means to record my jobsearch, be that a diary or better yet, an email address?

[antone]

I'm not sure they can reasonably expect me to keep writing paper. Sure I've got a block or two of paper, but shouldn't they, in principle, supply me with the means to record my jobsearch, be that a diary or better yet, an email address?

 

In principle, maybe they should. But in practice, you get the jobsearch diary and UJ, and that's it. If those methods are unsuitable, you can work out your own way of demonstrating that you're looking for work and they can't withhold your benefits because of that. I agree with the idea of getting a diary in the winter sales, but you won't get JCP to pay for it.

[Mr.P]

Unless the regulations have changed recently, there has not been any requirement to "phone in" inbetween signing on days.

 

Update: I've just come across a section in the Decision Maker's guidance notes - If you have been issued with a Jobseeker's Direction (this can be in writing, verbally, or email/text) to telephone a JCP adviser (for example) on Thursday between 10:00 and 14:00, and you fail to do so, expect a sanction. Now the question becomes: Did the adviser issue a JSD and provide you with a freephone number, specifying a date and time window to call ?

If not, you may be able to demonstrate "good reason" for not complying with the JSD.

[Jaybee in CF]

Update: I've just come across a section in the Decision Maker's guidance notes - If you have been issued with a Jobseeker's Direction (this can be in writing, verbally, or email/text) to telephone a JCP adviser (for example) on Thursday between 10:00 and 14:00, and you fail to do so, expect a sanction. Now the question becomes: Did the adviser issue a JSD and provide you with a freephone number, specifying a date and time window to call ?

If not, you may be able to demonstrate "good reason" for not complying with the JSD.

 

 

 

Let me clarify, no such 'JSD' was issued me in any way. He had simply offered to excuse me from signing every 2nd week IF I called in, and discussed my jobsearch as displayed by Universal Jobmatch.