Trouble at mill

[Bus no 808]

Hi everyone,

 

Number 1 son (minibus, 22) got off his backside and got a part time job (3 days 15 hours). He was offered the job this tuesday and rang his job centre advisor to inform them that day. On friday his boss informs him that ( ready for this ) the job centre have offered them £1000.00 to take him on a 3 week trial and he will only be paid his normal dole money for those 3 weeks. Can they change his terms and conditions just like that? He had "signed off" before the job centre made the offer to his employers, he got the job off his own merit, nothing to do with the job centre. Understandibly he is extremely upset over this and Mrs 808 is ready to do some damage come monday morning, (very protective mother). some advice please would be very welcome, thanks.

[Ell-enn]

The only scheme I'm aware of that gives help to employers taking people off benefits is the New Deal:

 

New Deal for Employers

 

New Deal can help you:

• invest in the future of your organisation; and
  
• employ people with the skills you need.

It can also help with financial support to take on and train new employees.

What is New Deal?

 

New Deal is a key part of the Government’s Welfare to Work strategy. It aims to give unemployed people new opportunities to train and to gain work experience, so that they have the skills you want. And it can help you if your business is suffering from staff shortages.

How does New Deal help?

Everyone taking part in New Deal has a personal adviser who provides support until they are ready for work. This support includes:

• a thorough assessment of their qualities, skills and experience;
  
• help to overcome things that are making it more difficult to find and keep a job;
  
• practical help to improve their chances of finding work (such as computer training or help with interview techniques); and
  
• independent careers advice and help with finding a job.

By the time they reach you, candidates will have been through a period of tailored individual advice and support. This helps to make sure the candidates you see will be:

• employable, because they have been through a skills assessment and, where necessary, courses to update their training or skills;
  
• motivated, because they will have actively chosen the type of job you have to offer; and
  
• right for the job, because the New Deal personal adviser will only refer candidates to you who they think are able and willing to do the job you advertise.

We are putting in time and effort to update people’s skills and prepare them for work. We will prepare, screen and match candidates to your vacancies and provide support after they start work.

It is also possible for you to find out how well suited a person is to your job through a work trial. We can arrange a trial period and continue to pay the person’s benefit.

Financial help

 

If you recruit people from New Deal 25 plus or New Deal for Young People you may be able to get extra financial help through an employment subsidy. The subsidy is paid for 26 weeks, under the hope that the job will last longer. The subsidy payments for New Deal 25 plus and New Deal for Young People (in brackets) are outlined below.

• £75(£60) a week for each person placed in a suitable vacancy of at least 30 hours a week.
  
• £50(£40) a week for each person placed in a suitable vacancy of between 16 to 29 hours a week (24 to 29 hours for New Deal for Young People).

If you take on anyone under New Deal for Young People, you can also get a grant of up to £750 towards the cost of an agreed qualification or training certificate. You can train them in-house or you can arrange for them to be trained elsewhere.

Your responsibilities when receiving a New Deal employment subsidy

All we ask is that you will sign an agreement confirming that you will:

• keep the person as long as they show the ability and commitment you need;
  
• give them the same training as anyone else doing the job;
  
• monitor and record their progress and identify areas for action, in the same way you would for any other employee, to help them settle in and make progress;
  
• employ them for at least 26 weeks; and
  
• fill in a health and safety questionnaire to make sure you meet certain standards.

...................................................................................................

The above can be found on the jobcentreplus website.

I've not heard of the £1,000 grant - although I would have thought it was supposed to go towards paying the employee during the trial period.

 

Your son needs to go to the jobcentre and find out what this is all about.

 

Kind regards

Ell-enn

[Bus no 808]

Thanks Ell-enn, Mrs 808 will be visiting them in the morning, then there will be trouble at mill.

[Ell-enn]

Looking forward to your next post !!

[patdavies]

Thanks Ell-enn, Mrs 808 will be visiting them in the morning, then there will be trouble at mill.

 

 

Mrs 808 should get absolutely nothing from your son's employers as regards work, hours, pay, etc.

 

There is a piece of legislation called the Data Protection Act 1998 and if your son's employers talk to your wife without your son's express permission, they will be in breach of this Act.

[Ell-enn]

I thought the OP meant Mrs 808 was going to the jobcentre to get details of the scheme? if I'm mistaken then you're right she will get no information from the employer (unless with her son's written consent)

[Sidewinder]

Leaving aside the issue of who is going to create merry hell with the Job centre, what terms had been agreed with the employer (wages, hours of work etc) at the time the offer of employment was made?

 

A job offer is binding, even if not in writing, and there could be a clear breach of contract if his wage is to be reduced for the first three weeks of employment and this was only decided after the initial offer.

 

Or am I missing something?

[Ell-enn]

You're right Sidewinder - he was offered the job on Tuesday and told about the change on Friday. Assuming the terms and conditions were given/discussed on Tuesday then it would be breach of contract whether verbal or written.

I was too busy trying to work out what the jobcentre lot were up to! Well spotted.

[Bus no 808]

I thought that as well, anyway we will see what happens tomorrow, minibus will be going with Mrs 808 (damage limitation) thanks everybody

[Bus no 808]

Right then, total capitulation from the jobcentre. They knew they were in the wrong, and Mrs 808 knew it too. They ran son number 1,s employer and changed it to a 1 week trial so that means he is back to normal wages and then suddenly found he is elligble for a £100.00 grant for "finding a job", this more than makes up for his lost wages from having to work the one week trial . So it all ended up well and once again its peace in the household . Thanks to all who contributed

[Ell-enn]

That's great news, glad you got it sorted out.

Wish your son good luck with the job (hope he buys his mum some flowers out of the £100 lol)

 

Kind Regards

Ell-enn

[Sidewinder]

Excellent news! I agree that a bunch of flowers from the minibus should be top of the list when the first wage arrives!

 

Best of luck with the job