Universal Job Match - Do NOT sign!

1171820222327

Comments

  • TKDTKD Posts: 193
    Forum Member
    Maytricks wrote: »
    I was at the Jobcentre today for an appointment at 2 (didn't get seen until 2:45 because my adviser decided to go on her break without even informing me, which is a different story), and while I was waiting, I overheard another jobcentre adviser tell a young girl "Everyone HAS to have a UJ account", to which I went over to them and stated that it is not mandatory. The adviser replied and said "well it helps keep track of jobsearch", to which I replied "still isn't mandatory though", and I sat back down.

    I'm going to make a formal complaint about this tomorrow, as they are obviously still trying to tell people that it is mandatory, as I was told it was a few weeks ago. I'll also contact the local paper to see if they are interested.

    Definitely make a formal written complaint and inform your local paper, I doubt anything will get done but at least you are doing something.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4
    Forum Member
    Wow, you lot, really....

    I signed up for it and it's proving moderately useful infact.

    I also keep a written record too, UJM isn't the only thing I do. I'm really not seeing your problems.

    Infact, I think you are your own problems, being workshy and trying to seem rebellious and righteous.

    The issue isn't about being "workshy and rebellious", it's that fact that Jobcentre employees are encouraged to mislead (lie to) service users, plus the personal data security of those using UJ, namely sending off your CV's to "agencies" and "businesses" that may not even be genuine, or may just be trying to collect data/add CV's to their databases.

    I'd be more than happy to use a government jobsearch service if I was not being lied to and threatened with sanctions if I do not create a UJ account, and if the issues with personal data were sorted.

    Just because we are unemployed, does not mean we lose our human rights, or the right to protect our personal information.
  • Ancient IDTVAncient IDTV Posts: 10,128
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    You'd expect job centre staff to know what is and isn't mandatory. Unfortunately, it seems as if quite a few of them don't know.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4
    Forum Member
    TKD wrote: »
    Definitely make a formal written complaint and inform your local paper, I doubt anything will get done but at least you are doing something.

    Local newspaper has been emailed. I'll start the complaints process tomorrow by phoning the Jobcentre.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2
    Forum Member
    John35 wrote: »
    Hi all first post,glad i came across the site thanks

    My advisor has also stated that i need to print off a job that she told me to apply for,I took a picture on my phone and showed her,is this right i have to do that? I still fill in my Job diary so i figured they could check up that way

    I also referred her to a paragraph in the pcs that states "we cannot specify to a JSA claimant how they provide us with records of their jobsearch activity and Universal Jobmatch will not change this"

    Anyone that can answer my query would be much appreciated thanks:)

    I'm afraid I can't answer your question but had strikingly similar situation (and in Glasgow too).

    Every single appointment was told I needed to sign to UJM. Eventually, gave up this week. I was quite ill so came a bit earlier and asked if I could be dealt with relatively quickly so I could attend a drop in with the doctor before it closes. Thus, during an appointment was asked If I signed to UJM but it transpired I denied access and it pissed off my adviser. Was asked if I had a smartphone (said yes) and then, If I had internet access on that phone (said no) which made her very surprised/irritated (as apparently she had a smartphone and internet access so why I didn't have?) as she wanted me to prove I apply for the jobs I produce on paper. In fact, I do more than is required per the agreement but as most of you, find UJM cumbersome to say the least and prefer other service providers for a variety of reasons.

    As a result, I was told for the next appointment I have to bring my email account's print off for the jobs I would apply for. Apart from that I was 'punished' with a change in my agreement to 20 hours of active job search per week and referred for an interview with an employment assistant at some other facility (regeneration agency). Needless to say, all lasted more than half an hour (it was supposed to be a sign on only) and missed to see the GP.

    The question is, do I have to report my job search activity by the method I'm being asked for or is it up to me the way I present it? I was presented with no official paper stating the procedure of presentation of my job search activity nor signed any specific paper that would concern it.

    The most negative aspect of this is being treated as a usual suspect whose only goal is to free ride the system. As if jsa allowed to lead a great quality life.
  • Bonesy84Bonesy84 Posts: 5,741
    Forum Member
    I was in the jobcentre this morning and i was told from the 1st of march that you have to give them access to your account on the site :confused:that's not true is it
  • phill363phill363 Posts: 24,311
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Bonesy84 wrote: »
    I was in the jobcentre this morning and i was told from the 1st of march that you have to give them access to your account on the site :confused:that's not true is it

    They are bullshitting, I'm sure. Was you given an official letter?
  • Bonesy84Bonesy84 Posts: 5,741
    Forum Member
    phill363 wrote: »
    They are bullshitting, I'm sure. Was you given an official letter?

    No and i said to her what about data protection
  • TKDTKD Posts: 193
    Forum Member
    Bonesy84 wrote: »
    I was in the jobcentre this morning and i was told from the 1st of march that you have to give them access to your account on the site :confused:that's not true is it

    That is 100% UNTRUE! Ask for that in an official letter. If they give you an official letter stating you must give them access you then have it in writing they are lying and you can take appropriate action.

    It's nonsense, they are telling you porkies.
  • Joey BoswellJoey Boswell Posts: 25,141
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Bonesy84 wrote: »
    I was in the jobcentre this morning and i was told from the 1st of march that you have to give them access to your account on the site :confused:that's not true is it

    Dont believe them my brother says it is not true.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 349
    Forum Member
    Maytricks wrote: »
    The issue isn't about being "workshy and rebellious", it's that fact that Jobcentre employees are encouraged to mislead (lie to) service users, plus the personal data security of those using UJ, namely sending off your CV's to "agencies" and "businesses" that may not even be genuine, or may just be trying to collect data/add CV's to their databases.

    I'd be more than happy to use a government jobsearch service if I was not being lied to and threatened with sanctions if I do not create a UJ account, and if the issues with personal data were sorted.

    Just because we are unemployed, does not mean we lose our human rights, or the right to protect our personal information.

    This. I searched on UJM yesterday and had to search through 5+ pages of 'warehouse agency' jobs until I found a normal one and even the advert was from December and didn't even tell me things such as hours, pay or even the company name and location! I don't see why I should give up any of my human rights because they don't know what they are doing.

    Bonesy84 wrote: »
    I was in the jobcentre this morning and i was told from the 1st of march that you have to give them access to your account on the site :confused:that's not true is it

    Doubt it, they will be making it up as usual. I'll believe it when I get an official letter through the post from the government.
  • TKDTKD Posts: 193
    Forum Member
    Just to reiterate Universal Jobmatch is NOT mandatory from 1st March, no official document from the DWP states this. Why would they impliment something on a Friday (1st March)? Definitely nonsense.
  • .Rogue.Rogue Posts: 74
    Forum Member
    When I last signed my job advisor asked if I was signed up to their website and I said no. She told me that I have to do it so they have proof of what I am doing.

    She then told me that the next time I sign on if I haven't signed up then I will have to see her manager and will have to do a lot more on my job sheet than I normally do in more detail. She made sure she said it in a rather loud voice so everybody who was around waiting could hear.

    I do my job search a few times a week and always put full details, company, date, where I found the job, job reference etc. I don't know what else she could mean that I would have to add if I did not sign up to their website which I do not want to do if possible.
  • R410R410 Posts: 2,991
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    .Rogue wrote: »
    When I last signed my job advisor asked if I was signed up to their website and I said no. She told me that I have to do it so they have proof of what I am doing.

    She then told me that the next time I sign on if I haven't signed up then I will have to see her manager and will have to do a lot more on my job sheet than I normally do in more detail. She made sure she said it in a rather loud voice so everybody who was around waiting could hear.

    I do my job search a few times a week and always put full details, company, date, where I found the job, job reference etc. I don't know what else she could mean that I would have to add if I did not sign up to their website which I do not want to do if possible.
    They tired to pull this one on me. I just replied to it with, 'What is this then?' Pointing to my Jobsearch log.

    I have signed up, only because there was a job on there that I really wanted to apply for and you could only do it via UJM.
    Haven't logged into it since, and I certainly haven't, nor am I going to, give them access to my account.
  • CharnhamCharnham Posts: 61,157
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    sarah0890 wrote: »
    This. I searched on UJM yesterday and had to search through 5+ pages of 'warehouse agency' jobs until I found a normal one and even the advert was from December and didn't even tell me things such as hours, pay or even the company name and location! I don't see why I should give up any of my human rights because they don't know what they are doing.
    whilst I agree that in the past, UJM has been flooded with adverts for "Job Warehouse" when I looked on Tuesday, there was only 2 or 3.

    However it did mean that the total list was cut from about 20 pages to 5,

    re: bogus jobs, ive not heard of anything like that, not sure I believe it.

    re: Being required to give Job Centre access, is new to me, the Job Centre, know I have an account (due to a small number of jobs, that use the website as the only apply route.
    Good post. Most of the jobs posted on the UJM site are in the Public Sector or slave wage jobs.

    Compared to the professional sites like Totaljobs/Jobsite/Reed and some of the others it is a total waste of time, and yet the DWP expects people to use even though very few employers are using it to advertise.

    With regards to the professional jobs, im going to make a few point, and I hope make a balanced view.

    1) I suspect many companys, get put off putting professional jobs on there, due to the high number of joke applications (some due to Job Centres staff), you get when you advertise on the job centre

    2) the company is looking for a professional person, for a professional job, such a person will not be the type of person who will be content to only look at the Job Centre Plus website, and will know their industry well enough to know where to look for jobs.

    3) People with real qualifications, who sign on, is a problem. The problem is two fold

    -1 Job Seekers, is not for you to seek a job, you want, just for you to seek A job. This applies at all levels.

    -2 Many firms wont hire someone who is too qualified for a role.

    Its a problem which isnt going to go away, and isnt due to the currently high unemployment.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 4
    Forum Member
    Maytricks wrote: »
    Local newspaper has been emailed. I'll start the complaints process tomorrow by phoning the Jobcentre.

    I emailed my local MP yesterday, and received a reply from his senior caseworker:

    "Many thanks for your email regarding your concerns over the Universal Jobmatch account for those seeking work.

    I am concerned to hear that DWP staff would appear to be mis-leading claimants and will be contacting Jobcentre Plus on your behalf to establish the rules and regulations governing Jobmatch and will also bring to their attention your concerns.

    I note that you have already submitted a complaint to Jobcentre Plus but it would also be useful if you could forward me a list of the experiences you have encountered with DWP employee’s as the MP can then use this information to highlight the problem with the appropriate department . If you could forward me your national insurance number that would also be helpful."

    I emailed her all the issues I have been facing, and all the times I've been lied to and threatened with sanctions for not doing what they say.

    I mentioned to her all the online forums, with the hundreds of accounts of complaints regarding DWP, namely with Universal Jobmatch.

    I also received a phone call from my Jobcentre manager, who tried to fob me off with a verbal apology, but I repeatedly said that I want to go ahead with a formal complaint, to which he is now sending me some correspondence through the post.

    My advice to you all would be to make a formal complaint against your own Jobcentre, and to contact your local MP, you can do this through this site:

    http://www.writetothem.com
  • TKDTKD Posts: 193
    Forum Member
    Maytricks wrote: »
    I emailed my local MP yesterday, and received a reply from his senior caseworker:

    "Many thanks for your email regarding your concerns over the Universal Jobmatch account for those seeking work.

    I am concerned to hear that DWP staff would appear to be mis-leading claimants and will be contacting Jobcentre Plus on your behalf to establish the rules and regulations governing Jobmatch and will also bring to their attention your concerns.

    I note that you have already submitted a complaint to Jobcentre Plus but it would also be useful if you could forward me a list of the experiences you have encountered with DWP employee’s as the MP can then use this information to highlight the problem with the appropriate department . If you could forward me your national insurance number that would also be helpful."

    I emailed her all the issues I have been facing, and all the times I've been lied to and threatened with sanctions for not doing what they say.

    I mentioned to her all the online forums, with the hundreds of accounts of complaints regarding DWP, namely with Universal Jobmatch.

    I also received a phone call from my Jobcentre manager, who tried to fob me off with a verbal apology, but I repeatedly said that I want to go ahead with a formal complaint, to which he is now sending me some correspondence through the post.

    My advice to you all would be to make a formal complaint against your own Jobcentre, and to contact your local MP, you can do this through this site:

    http://www.writetothem.com

    That is fantastic news, I would also encourage everyone to write to their own MP and tell them of the blatant lies they have experienced from their local Jobcentre plus office. Write to your local MP no matter what political party they belong to.

    Maytricks do not be intimidated by them, stand your ground and fight your corner, all the best.
  • James30James30 Posts: 5,196
    Forum Member
    Jobcentreplus will turn around and say "how can we help you if we can't send out advisor help as to what to apply for, if we can't see what jobs your looking at and applying for"

    I go to my job centre armed with a folder and lots of printouts etc and fob them off by chatting my way out of it. For 6 months i've been saying i can't log into UJM etc, my time is up soon i'm sure as i run out of excuses. I'm registered on UJM but i haven't applied to anything on there or given the Job Centre access to stalk me on there.

    I've signed up to agencies like Reed and at the moment i'm doing bits of work here and there while they look for long term roles for me. I just don't trust the massive posts from other agencies on UJM like CV Library.

    What made me laugh last week when i went to sign on was my advisor said i need to make my UJM public and i said i wasn't aware it's mandatory and she said it is....liar! Then i said it's flooded with spam and rubbish while trying to find proper jobs on there, i preferred the old site and she AGREED with me....so the Job Centre staff think its crap as well.

    I hope the media expose this soon, would love to see IDS get brought down a peg or two and try and chat his way out of it.
  • FizzbinFizzbin Posts: 36,827
    Forum Member
    SuperAPJ wrote: »
    Going off-topic, an MP wrote that? Grr.

    Please let it be Michael Gove. :D
  • SuperAPJSuperAPJ Posts: 10,402
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Maytricks wrote: »
    I emailed my local MP yesterday, and received a reply from his senior caseworker:

    "[...]a list of the experiences you have encountered with DWP employee’s[...]"

    Going off-topic, an MP wrote that? Grr.
  • NicolaClareNicolaClare Posts: 488
    Forum Member
    I'm glad I found this discussion, because of this universal jobmatch, I feel like I have no privacy in looking for work, they take the mickey out of you and they single you out, so many times I have thought about giving up and doing it myself, but then I'll lose out. I've been getting rashes all over me due to stress from them and I showed them my scratch marks and cuts and they just fobbed me off completely, I don't want to be treated like an idiot, I want to be treated like a human being, I would like more help, not from some silly website that only comes up with 'Company Confidential' I mean what the **** is that all about? I'm not the smartest of people I'll admit that, but the Jobcentre could be a bit more nicer to people and not treat us like we're a piece of crap!

    Also i HATE UJ, I don't know how to use it, I don't like the advisors snooping on it and is there a way I can tell them that I don't want them to do it anymore??
  • NicolaClareNicolaClare Posts: 488
    Forum Member
    Anyone?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2
    Forum Member
    As it has been stated in this thread before (read the previous posts carefully), as of now, there is no law requiring you to either sign up to UJM or, if you sign up, to disclose the information. It is a violation of Data Protection Act 1998 and, I dare to say, DWP is aware of it so they will have to work around it to legitimize a move of stating that the law would require to sign up and disclose information for the purpose of UJM. Hopefully, it will not happen as it would have heavy totalitarian undertones. Look up the provided link. Does that answer your question?

    http://johnnyvoid.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/universal-jobmatch-not-mandatory-pcs-confirms/
  • NicolaClareNicolaClare Posts: 488
    Forum Member
    Thanks for this information, I felt like I was bullied into getting Universal Jobmatch, I think I'm going to have a word with the advisor on Friday.
  • tigragirltigragirl Posts: 13,319
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    R410 wrote: »
    They tired to pull this one on me. I just replied to it with, 'What is this then?' Pointing to my Jobsearch log.

    I have signed up, only because there was a job on there that I really wanted to apply for and you could only do it via UJM.
    Haven't logged into it since, and I certainly haven't, nor am I going to, give them access to my account.

    That why from 1/3/13 everyone will have to sign up for it . Although everyone will have to sign up for it, they can not be forced to give jobcentre access to their records.
    Everyone needs to have access so they can apply for jobs on there, especially if jobcentre identifies a job and says you have to apply.
This discussion has been closed.