Not So Unemployed.. But The Job Centre Are Still Being A Pain!

Papers still need to be signed, I's dotted; and T's crossed, but it looks very much like I'll be in paid employment come Friday morning..

.. And how does the Job Centre react? They don't want me to sign off!

Yeah, even given the fragile economy of the welfare system, they still want me to continue attending the Job Centre once I've started my job, and to continue looking for employment. Not that they want to support me in this financially; but the disruption they're looking to cause is free!

Their reasoning behind this is that my new job is only part-time, and anything less than 35 hours a week leaves you with two choices:

You either A, close your claim, or B leave your claim open.. And the person I spoke to is actually advising B!

Personally, I'd much sooner go with A; but if I do that then they've told me that they won't pay me what they owe me, for the couple of weeks that I've been unemployed. It's not a lot of money granted (£10.60 a day), but it's the bloody principal of the matter.

When I initially signed on, I was told that I'd be being paid monthly; but that benefit was accrued daily. Now however I'm being told that if I close my claim, I get nothing as I've been unemployed less than a month (so no payments have been made to me as of yet); something that I would have thought was a positive.

I can't help but feel they're trying to screw me though. There is no way I can attend the meetings they want me to, and they know this. I have explained this to them. Whilst I'll only be working part-time, it's an hour an half there, the same back; and it's spread over 5 days. The same 5 days that they're open. There is physically no way that I can attend their meetings, one of which is in a weeks time.

Not to take on a sense of entitlement, but I have worked damn hard to get myself into work; clocking up anything between 7.5 and 9.5 hours a day looking for work, 7 days a week! But it seems the more you put in, the less you get out.

It's not been easy, and I have jumped through every damn hoop with both grace and finesse. So, to get such a rebuttal feels like quite the kick in the nards. If they stick to their guns it means I could have taken things much easier. Easier would have been good! If they stick to their guns it means I spent a lot of time ticking their boxes when I need not have; and time is my most precious resource, not to be squandered on folly and bureaucracy..

If they stick to their guns, it's one hell of a dick move!

They should show more damn respect for their clients, and their efforts. They should make good on their debts.

Nothing is ever that straightforward when you're dealing with the Department of Work and Pensions though.