Paphos Life

ApusApus wrote: ↑Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:17 pm

Jim B wrote: ↑Wed Oct 10, 2018 10:12 pm if you refuse a job offered your benefits are stopped and you come off the register.
Jim

Unless you have a good reason, is this wrong on both accounts?

E. g. that you could be forced to accept a job well below your level of qualification and payscale?

I personally see nothing wrong in taking a job 'well below your qualification or pay scale' .
If there is a job that you are capable of doing then I see no reason why you should not do that job.

Trev
Where you ever in the unfortunate position to have to do that?
Jim

I don't quite know what you are saying Jim B as it seems rather strange that your sister confirms what both I and you said. Did she really say that her husband was "forced" off sickness benefit or is that your wording? It is still down to a Doctor to assess anyone's need for sickness benefit and people in my experience,and I do have experience, are not forced but helped.( A relative of mine actually worked with people with disabilities who desperately wanted to work and it was their job to encourage Employers to employ people with disabilities)
There are always two sides to every story.
Note to Jeba: Yes you are quite right that people are encouraged(not forced) to accept jobs below their capabilities and why not? My nephew was a highly qualified agricultural engineer who after arriving back in the UK after a period in New Zealand found himself with no job so did he go and sign on? No he went to work in a Garden Centre earning a fraction of what he had been used to until he found a vacancy in his field of expertise. He said he actually enjoyed the experience.

Jim B wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:43 am Trev
Where you ever in the unfortunate position to have to do that?
Jim

Yes I was Jim... i was a fully qualified tradesman but at one time I could find no work in my trade.
I took a job on half the pay I had been used, to in a shop... I enjoyed the work, but not the pay..
I have also for a short while been unemployed. And at the end of my working life I was on 'the sick' for almost a year until I received my state pension..

Tyelawe
Yes; he had to attend a medical evaluation six months after the stroke and was told he was fit for work even though it's obvious to a blind man that even now after nearly 18 months he is still affected. His benefits were stopped immediately and being unable to apply for work was unable to claim unemployment benefits. According to my sister all Civil Servants are under tremendous pressure to cut numbers of claimants and alot of wheat is being thrown out with the chaff, a bit like what happened to the Windrush people.
My Brother in Law desperately wanted to return to work as well but he was unable to because of his disabilities.

Jim

I do believe that your brother in law would have had the right of appeal against that decision Jim. Did he exercise that right?

Tyelawe
Quite possibly he could, I'm not sure though many older people have pride and self respect and don't like being a burden on the state and others accept what Authority tells them. As said he lived in his savings for over ten months until he qualified for his State Pension.
I was also going to say that many jobs forced on people are zero hour contracts where you may get a few hours a week work (not enough money to live on) but they are off the unemployment register.
All government's massage the figures no matter what persuasion they are; I'm surprised you're surprised.

Jim

ATOS - the US healthcare company, had the contract to assess the job position of long-term sickness claimants and they were so bad, they lost the contract. They met the aims of getting people off the list, but many/most were incorrectly deemed fit for work. Targets make prizes.

Where did I say I was surprised and surprised at what?
I must admit that I find it rather strange that with your sister being an HEO,that she would have not known the system and encouraged her husband to appeal.
Obviously strokes can be very debilitating and stressful and of course everyone is an individual with differing degrees of disability but you only have to look at Andrew Marr to see how well he copes albeit he appears to have lost the use of one arm.
JimG - you are quite correct that ATOS held the Contract for assessments but I believe this was terminated some 4 years ago. Perhaps more up to date information would be useful!

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:15 am E. g. that you could be forced to accept a job well below your level of qualification and payscale?

If those are the only jobs available then yes …………… we can't all be brain surgeons and rocket scientists?


Shane

ApusApus wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 1:40 pm

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:15 am E. g. that you could be forced to accept a job well below your level of qualification and payscale?

If those are the only jobs available then yes …………… we can't all be brain surgeons and rocket scientists?


Shane

Well, if I was a brain surgeon or rocket scientist I´d hate to be employed tp pick cucmbers - and be paid accordingly.

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:40 pm

ApusApus wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 1:40 pm

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:15 am E. g. that you could be forced to accept a job well below your level of qualification and payscale?

If those are the only jobs available then yes …………… we can't all be brain surgeons and rocket scientists?


Shane

Well, if I was a brain surgeon or rocket scientist I´d hate to be employed tp pick cucmbers - and be paid accordingly.

I know two Cypriots with decrees etc, one is a young teacher , but cannot get a job at the moment, she is currently working in a Hamburger place in Larnaca, while also given Greek lessons tp expats, the other is a graduate who is working in a car hire firm, ferrying cars about , until he finds a job, good luck to them, their not moaning, just getting on to pay the bills.

Tyelawe
I don't know the exact circumstances as I didnt delve too deeply but I do know they don't tell you the decision there and then but by letter. Jim Wards post says it all about how they treat the sick and because ATOS were removed doesn't mean the process changed. Strokes as you are aware affect different people different ways, not just physically.

AA
If you were a brain surgeon I'm pretty certain you wouldn't do a zero hour contract.

Trev
Sorry, I missed your post. I've done the same myself many times though only for a couple of weeks here and a couple of weeks there due to the nature of the construction industry but I would not sign up for a zero hours contract sat at home waiting for the phone to ring.

Jim

There are two sides to every coin, at one time, I too needed paid employment, but was not in a position to leave my child to work, and I was unable to afford child care. Together with my friend, who was in a similar position to me, we job shared, and cared for each others children. We had both previously been employed in the Civil Service, but I can assure you that the job we shared was well below our previous positions, and well below our previous earnings, so yes, if you need paid employment, it's out there. Just never believe that you are above anything, because you're not.


The other side, when I was in a position to 'hire and fire' staff. One young man came into my office, stating that he didn't want the position on offer, but had only attended the interview so that he could claim continue to benefits. Needless to say, I declined his offer to sign his form, and asked him to close my office door as he left.


Jackie

My brother-in-law (guid brither as they say around here) is very senior in the main call centre in Glasgow for DHS. He previously managed “Uneployment Centres” and is now 58 and counting down the time to early retire. He now absolutely hates the job. He says it is not about helping people any more, but about stopping their benefits by any means.

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 2:40 pm

ApusApus wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 1:40 pm

jeba wrote: ↑Thu Oct 11, 2018 8:15 am E. g. that you could be forced to accept a job well below your level of qualification and payscale?

If those are the only jobs available then yes …………… we can't all be brain surgeons and rocket scientists?


Shane

Well, if I was a brain surgeon or rocket scientist I´d hate to be employed tp pick cucmbers - and be paid accordingly.

Jeba.. You may hate to take a job 'beneath' you, but what would you do for you and your family.
Principles are a good thing to have if you have the money to go with them..
I find your high attitude surprising to say the least..

Jeba, I wouldn't like it either but if that was what was needed to put "bread" on the table for my family then the choice is obvious? And the same goes for Jim B's response!


Shane

I've always managed to put bread on the table AA by working away from family and home for months at a time on projects and in places most sensible people would avoid. I dont need any lessons in how to feed my family.
Jim

And all the stewards at the Labour Party Conference were on....Zero Hours Contracts..Ha! you couldn't make it up,good old Jeremy.