"Signing on," without an interpreter!

[Joe9T 10]

My brother's ex-wife, who has only recently began claiming Jobseekers Allowance, after her son had reached 7 years of age, has been regularly attending one of the Job Centre's in Sheffield, to "sign on." Each time she signs on she is asked by the Job Centre, what she has been doing to find work.

 

She apparently is asked the same questions each time she signs on and has to show that she is looking for work.

 

One day, whilst she was signing on she noticed a woman signing on next to her, but this woman was not asked any questions, but was simply allowed to sign on and then leave.

 

My brothers ex wife asked the person who was dealing with her, why the other woman was not asked questions just like she was asked each time she signed on. The response was that they allowed this woman to just sign on with no questioning because they did not have interpreters and the man power and the time to deal with someone who couldn't speak English and who required an interpreter.

 

I find this absolutely shocking to say the least.

[Halibut 12]

Shocking! Won't somebody think of the children, please!

[dink 10]

Easy solution to your problem, fill in the signing on forms saying you speak little if any english, you will then get the same results, but chose a far away first language, so it will be hard for them to find you an interpreter.

[Joe9T 10]

So, if you don't speak English and the Job Centre cannot provide an interpreter, you can sign on without being asked if you have been looking for work!

[Joe9T 10]

I think it is disgraceful and have contacted the edit *national* papers about this!

Edited March 21, 2011 by Joe9T

[dink 10]

it is mate, but sadly this will go unnoticed most of the time.

Edited March 21, 2011 by dink

[grafikhaus74 10]

This doesn't surprise me at all. I was going through this process a year ago and the JC staffs' approach to migrants was 'selective' to say the least.

 

The demographic make-up at Cavendish Court was about 60/40% migrant/British, yet when they wash their hands of you and send you on a mandatory stint at A4e, the make-up at A4e Queen Street is around 5/95%. When I questioned this, I was told they 'must be on English language courses'. Utter tosh. These people can speak English (when it suits them). Unless these courses are conducted in the open air. Outside Peace Gardens. With no tutor.

 

Something doesn't add up...

[Bad_Hair_Day 10]

I've never been asked what I'm doing to look for work when I sign on.

 

I put the details into the "Looking for Work" book they gave me to fill in, hand that in at reception with my attendance record and then just get called to the desk to sign in the box. No questions asked.

 

ps - I'm fluent in English, Sheffield born and bred! Although, maybe that's a bit of a contradiction! :-)

[Joe9T 10]

If you think that at a school such as the former Abbeydale Grange, where 50 different languages were spoken, then if you fall into any of these languages, and find yourself signing on, the Job Centre would need interpreters to interpret at least 50 different languages in Sheffield.

It may not be cost effective for the Job Centre to have interpreters to cater for all languages, but it is surely the principle. We have literally thousands of people signing on, who just are not asked what they are doing to find work and go unchecked. surely this is not right at all.

Edited March 21, 2011 by Joe9T

[BarryRiley 10]

I think it all depends on the advisor you see. Back when I was on casual contracts I signed on for a couple of months (separate times). The first time I was asked what I was doing to look for work, what my short term plan and what my long term plan was. The advisor would then use their database to search for anything matching my criteria and advise me accordingly. The second time I would sit in the seat, sign my book and leave all within less than 10 seconds

[Joe9T 10]

I think it all depends on the advisor you see. Back when I was on casual contracts I signed on for a couple of months (separate times). The first time I was asked what I was doing to look for work, what my short term plan and what my long term plan was. The advisor would then use their database to search for anything matching my criteria and advise me accordingly. The second time I would sit in the seat, sign my book and leave all within less than 10 seconds

 

But, this adviser explained to my brothers ex wife, why the other woman was just simply allowed to just sign on without no questioning. They explained that it was because they didn't have the interpreters and the man power.

Inexcusable!

[BarryRiley 10]

But, this adviser explained to my brothers ex wife, why the other woman was just simply allowed to just sign on without no questioning. They explained that it was because they didn't have the interpreters and the man power.

Inexcusable!

 

I should have used the quote, I was referring to Bad_Hair_Day