Is it ever right to call a Job seeker a "Scrounger"

The Term " Scrounger" has been used by the media. Papers like the Independant have

Iam on benefits but i am no scrounger

I find the phrase "Scrounger" often se
ems to fit in the category of the disabled.
The title featured here clearly is the headline of this article featured on the Money Saving Expert.com

Not everyone on benefits is a scrounger.
is the opening line. But I ask myself why some politicians would promote this concept of Benefit claiments being defined as a Scrounger






This video highlights the issue clearly. You can be working and still be deemed because of your 
income as using the system
However our economy has CHANGED. the existing JSA system was never set up for the Zero hour contract

The Telegraph reported that JustinWelby identified correctly in my view that this phrase was inappropriate.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said that it is important not to use “derogatory terms” when talking about people on benefits.

Although the Archbishop said he could not quote a minister using offensive language about people in poverty, he warned that people on benefits are being categorised as “scroungers”.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the Archbishop said: “We have to be very careful about how we talk about people across the range of those who receive benefits. You can use derogatory terms – it’s just important not to do so.”

Asked whether ministers were using “derogatory” language about poor people the Archbishop said: “I can’t quote any minister of having done so, but I think there is a danger from time to time that people are categorised - that all people on benefits are seen as scroungers - and that is clearly completely unfair and untrue.”

Earlier this year the Archbishop warned that “children and families will pay the price” as a result of the Government’s welfare reforms.

Invariably those claiming or signing on will feel stigmatised by the term. Unlike the Bankers they can lose their money through a Sanction. 

Scrounger headlines

These headlines have regularly featured in the medai over recent years. 

Rarely has the sub heading featured well which states that the system is unfit for purpose. Yet throughout recent years we have seen ATOS and computer systems being deemed as not fit for purpose.

it is becoming clearer that there are very few that are in the " Abuse the system " category. The not prepared to work. There are far more in the "underemployed " category

The Ons produced this

Underemployment and Overemployment in the UK, 2014

• In 2014, just under 1 in 10, or 3.0 million people, employed in the UK wanted to work more hours than they are currently employed to do and are therefore classified as underemployed.
• On average each underemployed worker would like to work an extra 11.3 hours per week.
• Over 1 in 5 people working in elementary occupations were underemployed in 2014.
• In 2014, over 1 in 5 part time workers were underemployed compared with around 1 in 20 of full time workers.
• The North East had the highest percentage of underemployed workers in Great Britain

Unemployment-Jan 2015 stats

Unemployment 20150 rather the last of last years stats. There are however very clear aspects that sanctions targets as well as the unemployment figures
There are many that have struggled and searched and have been sanctioned
however there are those that  inspire

Key Points for September to November 2014

• Comparing the estimates for September to November 2014 with those for June to August 2014, employment continued to rise and unemployment continued to fall. These changes maintain the general direction of movement since late 2011/early 2012.
• There were 30.80 million people in work. This was 37,000 more than for June to August 2014, the smallest quarterly increase since March to May 2013. Comparing September to November 2014 with a year earlier, there were 512,000 more people in work.
• The proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 in work (the employment rate), was 73.0%, unchanged from June to August 2014 but higher than for a year earlier (72.0%).

• There were 1.91 million unemployed people. This was 58,000 fewer than for June to August 2014, the smallest quarterly fall since July to September 2013. Comparing September to November 2014 with a year earlier, there were 418,000 fewer unemployed people.

• The unemployment rate was 5.8%, lower than for June to August 2014 (6.0%) and lower than for a year earlier (7.1%). The unemployment rate is the proportion of the economically active population (those in work plus those seeking and available to work) who were unemployed.
• There were 9.09 million people aged from 16 to 64 who were out of work and not seeking or available to work (known as economically inactive). This was 66,000 more than for June to August 2014 and 41,000 more than for a year earlier.
• The proportion of people aged from 16 to 64 who were economically inactive (the inactivity rate) was 22.4%, slightly higher than for June to August 2014 (22.2%) and for a year earlier (22.3%).
• Comparing September to November 2014 with a year earlier, pay for employees in Great Britain increased by 1.7% including bonuses and by 1.8% excluding bonuses.

Overview of regional labour market published 21 January 2015

The employment rate estimates, for those aged 16 to 64, for the three months to November 2014, compared to the three months to August 2014, showed very few large movements for the regions and countries of the UK.

The largest increases in the employment rate estimates were for the West Midlands, at 1.0 percentage point and the North East, at 0.7 percentage points. For both regions, the employment rate estimate for three months ago was low, compared with other recent estimates, with the general pattern much flatter than suggested by the latest estimates.

The largest decrease in the employment rate estimate was for London, at 0.6 percentage points. This followed an employment rate estimate for three months ago that was unusually high, compared with other recent estimates, again with a relatively flat pattern suggested by recent estimates.

For most regions, the general picture has been for employment rates to be increasing or close to flat, with all but one region having employment rates higher than a year ago. The exception is Wales, which has been falling from record highs since late 2013, with the latest estimate 2.2 percentage points lower than a year ago.

Employment rates remain higher in the East of England and South East, both at 76.6% and South West, at 76.3%, than the rest of the UK.

The employment levels for the North East, East Midlands and Scotland, are all at record highs, with many other regions close to record highs. Despite this, the rates are below previous records, due to increasing population levels.

Regional estimates for the unemployment rate are quite volatile, which needs to be allowed for when considering the pattern of change over time.

The largest increase in the unemployment rate estimates for the three months to November 2014, compared to the three months to August 2014, was for Wales, at 0.6 percentage points.

The largest decreases in the unemployment rate estimates for the three months to November 2014, compared to the three months to August 2014, were for the West Midlands, at 1.2 percentage points and North East, at 0.7 percentage points. These decreases are consistent with the increases in the employment rates in these regions, partially due to estimates for three months ago that were high, compared with other recent estimates. The general pattern has been for a much slower rate of decrease.

All regions are showing decreases in the unemployment rate, compared with a year ago.

The unemployment rate for the North East remains the highest in the UK, at 8.5%, followed by Wales, at 7.0% and Yorkshire and The Humber, at 6.8%.

The Unemployment Stats produced today The Claimant Count for December 2014 compared with November 2014, is showing decreases in the count for both men and women across all regions of the UK.

 Employment by nationality and country of birth, changes between July to September 2013 and July to September 2014, not seasonally adjusted

Employment by National Birth

makes interesting reading and viewing

 Changes in the number of people in the labour market,

 seasonally adjusted

Probably the starkest stat from the 

graph ius the Unemployment ( aged 18+ )that has the minus stat

Unemployment-job seeker allowance-jsa -sanction

Unemployment Job seeker Sanction

job seeker jsa sanction letter

In the U,K a person who leaves a job voluntarily can be sanction or have their money stopped for a period of 3 months. The sanction is in respect of behavior.

The claimant has to make contact with an office in the Midlands. Whilst the letter seen here was in respect to the termination of a job in November it takes until the 13/1 for the letter to be sent.

The letter seen here is in respect of a sub contracted job. The job seeker had worked for a cleaning company, that had a contract with a major chain.

The manager of the major chain had sacked the Job seeker, however the Job seeker had had work with other companies and is expecting work in the future

The form is sent out with a sae ( stamp addressed envelope for the claimant to complete and return

DWP JSA Sanction Process

There is no form of secure online appeals procedure provided by DWP. Neither is there any support provided in processing the evidence to appeal any decision made by DWP.

Whilst the letter may be distributed by a local Job centre the job seeker is given 1 week to appeal the letter.

The form requires reading completion and returning within the week.

There is space for written submition. For many this may be a challenge. 

CAB

Can local CAB ( Citizens Advice Bureau handle the volume of Appeals that they may be required to support. The chances are that skills are likely to be in demand.

Each appeal would have to reflect any basis that a decision maker my have to make based on DWP guidelines. CAB and other providers have access to CPAG and Rightnet which may assist but there is little online about the Appeals procedure for this. You only have to look at Youtube to see the  need for video's on this and related subjects.

WATCH THIS SPACE

Pip-for Job seekers

PIP or Personal Income Protection when there is a need

When someone finds themselves in a fragile past of the economy e.g Part time work, Self Employment or zero hour contract there is a stronger possibility that they may come into contact with the Department of Work and Pensions. At this point there is little protection. There are few ways that an individual can financially protect themselves against loss of income or plan for any form of Welfare Support protection.

Why would they need any form of protection?

We only have to look at the statistics and historical background to the U.K Welfare Benefit Sanctions system administered by DWP to see that there are strong possibilities that an individual and their family could easily be sanctioned and lose income for a period of 3 months. This may be replace by some form of hardship payment.
However reality is that the revision of the Welfare Benefit Act during this parliament has not led to the provision of any support for those on the lower income employment seeker

The normal recommendation for anyone in this situation is to seek advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau. and seek food from a local Food Bank

Little provision is allowed for the planning of a volatile economy of the zero hour contract.
Our economy hasn't moved

Whether the history of PIP , the Personal protection plans it is not suprising that the Insurance companies would be wary of providing any form of plan for eventualities on the loss of work.

There are however few options for the provision of support for redundant employees.
Or the employees that are unsure whether they are working from one day to the other. DWP systems have failed to update their systems for the changing working world.

How could this be resolved

Insurance Companies

Insurance companies have a marketing opportunity here.

• The Provision of policies against the imposition of a Sanction.
• Cover during sanction periods for those that have proven history of employment.
• Provision of job search support for job seekers with proven employment history

DWP Jobcentreplus

DWP Job Matching services have opportunities to treat claimants as clients. Searching for work providing training as required on aspects of Social media job search.

To Provide an 8:00am-8pm call centre or online chat options. 

Thus far there are no services and DWP do not use Twitter as a method of communications.

Whilst Job Match has the options of making contact with their adviser 

However making contact with them regarding appointments is undertaken through a call centre.

Add caption

For many of these reasons including cut backs within the department there are some real possibilities for out sourcing some real support to job seekers that are likely to return to work in the current climate

The options could and should be extended to 0 hour contract job seekers who's employment situation no longer connects well with the fortnightly Job seeker.

Review-Top 10 Recruitment web sites and features Introduction

 I wanted to Review-Top 10 Recruitment web sites and features to look at what they had to offer. Recruitment web sites are a key part of the recruitment process as featured in the last article They are the first place where many people will post their CV and send their letters of application. They filter the applications for the employers and provide many other facilities for Employers

What do they offer you?-Review-Top 10 Recruitment web sites and features

John Fairest AIEP

  As you can see I have measured this review on certain key criteria

• Vacancy Count including Category or region
• CV Building & Support
• Training courses
• layout
• Additional information
• Social Media

Why these Categories in Regards to Recruitment web sites?

Vacancies-

is a clear indication as to whether the web site is going to be the best from your viewpoint If you are looking for a vacancy in your sector you want the web site to have a number of vacancies in your sector of future employment and ideally in your area of the country.

CV Building-

The CV is the information that the Computer will see first of all. Ideally you want to find a good web site that has a CV Builder that you understand and that you can create the CV that will pass the computer filter and that the Employer will choose to view.

Training-

The Recruitment site that has interesting training advice and guidance may make you reflect on where you should go from here and where you might consider developing your skills base.

Layout-

We each have our own individual layout tastes and opinions. In my view I like to be able to easily find my way around. If I cannot, i like a video to explain to me what I can find if I look.

Additional Information-

Are you a mature Job seeker, wandering when to call it a day, dont understand the New Recruitment methods. Well I look at the fact that the last few sites featured on the video look at a number of these factors. Is there a different CV for the younger Job seeker to the more mature Job seeker?

Conclusion

The video lasts 18 mins  but covers briefly a number of sites all of which i have selected as being Generic .I hope it provides you with a chance to look at whats on offer.

Application Tracking system -Key words and Recruitment

Key words & Application Tracking systems

  Key Words are seen in Google and Youtube.
 Both GOOGLE& YOUTUBE  use them as a Search facility as well as a marketing option. Application Tracking System is a phrase not featured as much I was aware of the use of Key Words in CV as well as Cover letters but it wasnt until recently I became aware of the term Application Tracking System.

YOUTube & Application Tracking Systems

What left me suprised was that the HR companies have not promoted a U.K version of the material seen on the video play list. Indeed as I undertook searches using Key words like " job -search - key words U.K " there was nothing substantial. Yet I knew that there had to be more than just sending a CV to an employer or posting a CV on a Recruitment web site. In effect I stumbled upon the phrase Application Tracking System.

Recruitment web sites and key Words-Application Tracking Systems

John Fairest AIEP

As i have said on other videos in the past it is very clear that the old saying that the words of a job advert have to be looked at closely, In today's employment market its not just the advert but it's also the Job email alerts sent out by the recruiters. If the Alerts are not sparking the Job seeker's interest then the Job seeker isn't responding to them and misses opportunities.

Job seeker responce during job search

Job seeker Frustration

 When the Job seeker does respond to an advert their CV has to be individually edited as does the cover letter. Otherwise the frustration of the Job search continues. From observation Universal Job Match is one of the few Recruitment systems that might allow for a human still reading a CV before a computer. But that's only based on the contact details of the posts.

Recruiters- Applicant Tracking Systems

It stands to reason that most recruiters will be using search systems to enable their search for candidates. Sadly the training for putting a quality CV  to meet the requirements of these systems is often sadly lacking. If we take Linkedin as a recruitment search engine then there is good material. However as stated in the videos on the playlist each software package is different.

Conclusion

Job seekers therefore need to cover many avenues to make their Job search effective. This will include not just researching the company but also ensuring that they have a Good knowledge of the Recruitment web site that they are using. That instructions are followed and CV's are available and editable in the required formats.