Jobseekers risk losing their benefits if they turn down certain zero-hours contracts without good reason, the government has said. Until now, people on Jobseeker's Allowance could refuse to accept such jobs without facing penalties. But the new universal credit system demands that people take up the casual contracts - even though they do not always guarantee work. The government insisted such contracts offer an average 25 hours work a week. Continue reading the main story â Start Quote It is right that people do everything they can to find work and that we support them to build up their working hours and earningsâ Department for Work and Pensions A spokesman also explained that when workers did not get the hours they needed, their universal credit payments would adjust automatically to ensure they were financially supported. Labour said the government should focus on stopping abuse of workers through zero-hours contracts rather than on forcing claimants to accept such working arrangements. Under the new scheme, claimants who turn down a zero-hours contract when it is thought to be suitable could lose payments for more than three months. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27289148 Tories forcing ****s to take zero hour contracts
Zero hour contracts are ****ing deplorable. They should be illegal never mind the Govt forcing folk onto them.
I digress. A man gets a zero hour contract, works 20 hours one week and zero for the next three. Put yourself in that position, how can he plan ahead? How can he plan his bills? How does he manage his direct debits?
You still get your benefits if you only get 0 hours work, it just replaces them if you do get work. A ****y move but still better than nothing
Aye and the business employing him has carte blanche to **** him over whenever they choose. The Tories keeping their corporate pals happy as usual.
Hmmm, a tricky one this. One one hand it's tantamount to forced labour, on the other hand, it's getting long term unemployed doing some work for their benefits. I think I'll find maself a comfy spot on the fence on this one.
Which means you are stuck on dole money as you can't plan ahead. Getting a job should see someone getting ahead and being able to plan ahead. The only thing this does is have the poor **** down the Job Centre even other week filling in forms for his ****ting 50 quid a week. Where is the incentive here?
It is easier to find a job when you are already in a job - even if that job is for the benefits you were already getting. *hops back on the fence*
Because some weeks you will get more than dole money, and you'll also be gaining work experience which gives you a better chance of landing a better job. No one said it's an ideal scenario, but it's preferable to the alternative.
Yep, this is true. But the other side of the coin is that it can be seen as forced labour, which is the top of a very slippery slope indeed. *hops back on fence*
It's not forced labour. You don't have to do it if you don't want to. You just won't get any money from the government.
Trust me, that will never happen. I do know that they need to have some form of enforced return-to-work scheme, but threatening to cut all your benefits off if you turn down a ****ty job isn't fair... I dunno where I stand on this one...
Plus if you have to be available for your zero hours employer, you won't be able to go to your other cash in hand job that no ****'s meant to know about.
