Most jobseeker agreements ruled unlawful – and the DWP doesn’t care

Last Updated: March 11, 2014By

“Any jobseeker who can demonstrate that s/he has taken 3 steps a week to find work has complied with the law. Any jobseeker’s ‘agreement’ that imposes more than three steps is illegal and legally unenforceable. Any claimant sanctioned for failing to meet such an illegal requirement has a right to have it overturned on appeal.”
So now you know. This is vital information for anyone at risk from the Coalition’s vicious and vindictive sanction machine. Please make sure it gets to as many people as possible.

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6 Comments

  1. Nick March 12, 2014 at 4:34 pm - Reply

    Bunch of lying cheating scum. So I signed up to Universal Jobmatch a while back as I was told it is Mandatory now but not mandatory to allow the adviser to view my account, fair enough and i deliberately never ticked authorise the DWP to view my account.

    Oh but guess what, I just went to sign on and my adviser said lets have a look at your Jobmatch and I told them I never ticked the box so you cant but blow me down he entered in to my account no problem with just my email address.

    How many has this happened to or worse no one can opt out?

    • joanna March 13, 2014 at 7:54 am - Reply

      can you shut that email address down and open another? Also when you get your sheet of paper, I have noticed it is ticked before you get it! sneaky!

    • bookmanwales March 13, 2014 at 8:17 am - Reply

      Apparently they can access your UJ with just your email address. However it is not supposed to allow them to see your jobsearch etc.
      What they can do is send you jobs and expect you to apply. Should you fail to apply they will sanction you.
      I have 2 emails and when the jobcentre asked for my email I deliberately gave them one not linked to my UJ account. “Oh I can’t find you” she said on entering my email address “must be some glitch, typical” I told her with a smile !!!

      Anyone who does not want DWP access to their account is wise to have a separate email account linked to it.

  2. […] Originally posted on The SKWAWKBOX Blog: A reader of my blog has written to me with an update about a case that…  […]

  3. ispy March 13, 2014 at 10:10 am - Reply

    What about the 35 hours a week rule?

    How is any Jobseeker going to realistically spend 35 hours a week taking just 3 steps – unless they are VERY big steps?

    The 35 hours rule is itself unrealistic!

    • joanna March 13, 2014 at 6:42 pm - Reply

      that is why the cool techies at Google chrome invented UJM automation, if it is up and running that is.

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