Can you get Job Seeker's Allowance if you are sacked from a job?

You cannot get JSA if "you unreasonably make yourself unemployed. For example, you leave your job voluntarily without good reason, you lose a job because of misconduct or you turn down a job offer."

I don't think you can if you are sacked. That's not definite, but I am pretty sure. i tried to find you a link, but i'm not sure what part of london you are in to pick the right borough.

yeah, i think the job itself has to have ended for you to be able to claim. they will ask why you are no longer working at previous place, and they kind of have to like the answer

Define "misconduct". I think that is the hinge around which this entire freaking problem revolves.

The above quote came from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/. Not much help though. Worth visiting the CAB perhaps?

I am just screwed regardless. I wish I had the balls to just get up and walk out. In a little while I will just start screaming FUCKING SACK ME ALREADY, I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO.

that will prob count as misconduct... most cases tho', if you are sacked and you haven't called yr boss a cunt, punched the managing director or shat on the photocopier, then they tend to take yr word that yr "contract was terminated"... good terms to use btw, as if you say "sacked" they may investigate further

According to the Benefits Expert who sits opposite me, if you are made redundant due to "blame-worthy conduct" or "serious carelessness or negligence" (this isn't properly defined anywhere), you are suspended from entitlement to JSA for up to 26 weeks.

But apparently it is still worth claiming, because of the grey area defining the reason for dismissal.

sounds like you would have to have been the cause of some work-related disaster for any of that to apply

often it takes me a moment to remember that you don't work for the p0etry soc1ety anymore Jerry (mind you i suppose a benefits expert would come in handy there too, arfarf)

So the result is the same whether I stay in the office or leave. Unless they somehow mysteriously "terminate my contract".

Honestly, if I had the slightest backbone I'd just get up and walk out. If I had the slightest backbone, I wouldn't be in this job to start with.

:(

i think you have a better chance if you let them sack you, kate -> "lack of attitude" isn't "seriously blameworthy" or "serious carelessness or negligence", and they're surely more likely to pick a reason for termination that you can't take them to a tribunal for (need for you ran out) than one you might ("negligence" etc) [ie malice on their part leaves them open to comeback on yrs]

what about getting a very temporary job instead, that you know has very limited shelf life. then when that comes to its natural end, you can claim JSA with no problem, because job WILL have come to end?

gareth has a good point - talk to yr boss make him fire you, begin temping say that the temp job ended, home and dry...

Could you not just temp for a bit & then u could walk out on this job. I know it's not the best solution, but it would mean u could tell them to stick it!

Kate - from reading all your work threads, I can really, really identify with your situation. In fact, I am in one almost identical to yours, I would say. I actually tried the get-sacked gambit on my last job and it was a disaster – I couldn't claim anything at all and spent months trying to find something else, firing off CV's and all, while living on the bread line. It wasn't much fun.

Don't burn your bridges with these assholes you work for right now - just quietly get on with shit and construct your path out of there and leave it to them to make whatever moves they decide to make - hopefully you'll be handing in your notice by the time they get anything together. If you walk out in a blaze of glory I can't see that it's gonna do you too many favours save maybe giving your self-esteem a short term boost.

Now my current job is driving me out of my mind with the tedium. The thing is though, am I right in saying that any job for you is gonna be a pain in the ass because really you want to be making your music for a living? It's a bit of a catch 22 because if that is the case then it's nigh on impossible to find the enthusiasm and energy to apply for jobs which really, you couldn't give a fuck about. Even when you get the interview, you’re just sat there thinking what a nightmare the whole charade is.

Well, I’m attempting to engineer a move out of where I am now and it's a soul-sapper. And pretty thankless considering all the knockbacks - yeah well I don't even want the job really anyway so fuck you.

But anyway, when all's said and done, surely any change from where you are now will be a positive move. That's what I'm telling myself too. I agree with what other people have already said - just get the fuck out of there. Fire of CV's in all directions, call in favours, send speculative emails to promising companies and join agencies, get on the phone to people and get on the net in the evening - just get out. It takes a lot of effort as I’m sure you know and I know it's a pisser because I'm trying to muster the will to do the same thing myself and keep it going but once you get started, it does become less painful.

Ask yourself all those difficult questions about what you want to do with your life etc after you’ve made your move. Just focus your energy and creativity on making a move out of that hell hole you are stuck in and things should seem at least a little clearer and you’ll surely waste less time bouncing off the walls.

Something will come along, it always does, but you got to be out there fishing for it.

I am so upset about this, that I think I have just fucked something up. Not bigtime and fireable, fucking up, but distracted and bothered and can't concentrate because of impending sense of DOOM fucked up.

The problem is, I have a temp job that I can't leave.

I will try to make it to the end of the week. And decide after my holiday if I should come back. At all.

Everyone who says "look for another job" means well, I know it, but experience dictates it is IMPOSSIBLE for me to find another job while I already have one.

That's bullshit Kate. Change the rules.

I think the whole 'charade' bit caused me lots of problems when I was unemployed for those few months in 2001. I went to LOADS of interviews, but got really sick of being smiley and polite and trying so hard. It all seemed really fake and I think my attitude helped me not get jobs, especially because I felt like I was above having so many of those positions. Like you should be so lucky if I stoop to do this job. Meanwhile, I was broke and watching lots of tv and feeling bored out of my mind.

I still feel like my music nightlife is what's real and my day job isn't, even if I don't feel like I'm great at playing guitar. I think this makes me resent my jobs. Sometimes I wonder if I really do get stuck in horrible jobs or if I just convince myself they're horrible.

But my boss is a dick, isn't he??? Yes. And in my last job, as I've mentioned, I was overpaid and was stuck in the job having to pay back $1400. So maybe I have a right to complain...

Sorry to derail your thread, kate. I'm not suggesting you have my bad attitude. Anyway, I get back at my boss by ILXing so much! ha ha

I somehow didn't realize before you are in a temporary position. How long was it supposed to last initially?

Well if that really is the case Kate, stop torturing yourself, tell them to stick their job rather than waiting for the inevitable. Go home, get very drunk & then get up 2moro morning and look for something else. It aint easy, but it's gotta be better than going thru this shit everyday. sorry to sound harsh, but decisive action is necessary.

Kate, I mean this entirely supportively etc, but if you have time to post on ILx then you DO have time to look for other jobs. Can you print off CVs without being noticed? If so, do it. And drop them into agencies in your luch hour, after work, before work, or post them. Some temp agencies let you register online I'm sure; there are also loads of job websites that you can at least glance at.

No, this isn't a temp job. But it SHOULD BE is the point. It is like a temp job that never fucking ends.

I really want to take Pinkpanther's advice more than anyone else's, it sounds more sensible, it sounds more DOABLE. Except I would sleep in with a hangover tomorrow, not do anything on Friday because I was about to go on holiday, and put off finding a job until after that.

I am my own worst enemy.

(They turn a blind eye to my ILX posting becuase I have explained it blows off tension. I think that surfing employment sites and printing resumes would be seriously objected to.)

Will you still get holiday pay if you quit beforehand?

Then do it Kate. If you dont think that you'll be able to look for a job 2moro fine, but at least be pro-active. Sort out your cv, have a look thru the paper, nothing too heavy. Have a think about what you want to do jobwise whilst on holiday & then come back refreshed & ready to go. If you can do this financially, then def go for it. If anymore support or wake up calls are needed, I'm your gal!!

Sarah, you have a point. I don't want to risk not getting paid for the holiday that I've earned. While on my holiday, I will work on my resume and start sending it out, good idea, Pink. If I feel confident enough by the response to that, I just won't come back to work here. Hah!

This is very sensible, and will probably be the most workable option, financially and emotionally. Thanks for talking some sense into me, ladies. You are wonderful. ::hugs::

*applause for Kate* ;-)

hey what about me ;-)

not applause that is...

but anyway, good luck kate, find something yr happy with or at least something you can move easily from...

::hugs:: to Dave, too, I didn't realise you wanted them. ;-)

hugs = always good no matter what the circumstances :-)

hugs all round then!

Could you live on £53.95/week anyway? see

http://www.dwp.gov.uk/lifeevent/benefits/jobseeker%27s_allowance.asp#howmuch

Yay hugs! And yay for Kate and an improvement in this situation, which she rather well deserves, methinks. :-) Now, those Quickspace tracklistings, uh...

Well.... considering how little I get paid here, I functionally live on £50 a week as it is.

(This isn't even counting the fact that I am legally, though not functionally, homeless right now.)

Good luck Kate - sorry if I sounded a little harsh upthread. I think it'll work out cool.

Perhaps Jason & I could make up and do a benefit gig for Kate (And HSA).
We could even let her do the setlist.

we should celebrate yr decision with an FAP!

That JSA document makes for grim, and in some places baffling, reading. Eg:

You can do as much voluntary work as you like. Your JSA will not usually be affected as long as:

[...]
* It is reasonable for the person or organisation you are doing the voluntary work for not to pay you.

If it is unreasonable for them not to pay you, we will reduce your JSA by an amount you could expect to be paid for the work you are doing, even though you are not being paid.

Kate are you coming to the Trig Bro event?

that means it's no go to moonlight for free as CEO of sony

FAP will happen when I *get* a new job.

And sorry, Pink, I don't think I'll be back from Wilts in time to get to the Trig thing.

an fap wld be fun, just so's i can actlly see the people who stop me getting work done ;-)

Kate, unlessyou do something huge and obviously monstrous and easily provable by your employers, you will be able to get benefits if you are fired. If you quit, you won't. Despite jokes about living on £50 a week, you are not doing so now and it isn't easy, especially in London, even when living with a partner (well, unless they are rich and generous!). You really need to channel the energy of complaining about this job into finding a new one. I know that is easily said, and I do understand that it is MUCH harder to actually do, but it is by an immensely long way your best option. Also, it is easier to get a new job while employed, because being employed makes you look more employable than does being unemployed!

> Could you live on £53.95/week anyway?

er, there's housing benefit (which should cover most of your rent) and council tax rebates to factor in here as well. you won't be eligible for these if you have over 8 thousand in savings. you'll be given the forms when you apply for jsa.

andy

Has kate gone on holiday yet?

So I was here looking for Kate since I haven't heard from her since yesterday and I saw what JSA gives you a week... what a fucking joke! Honestly, how is anyone supposed to live on that? Minimum wage pays more than that in an 8 hour day!

When I was on JSA I got £80 per fortnight. This was not liveable on. But I suppose it's an incentive to get a job pronto, bastards. Plus I was living in buttfuck Egypt where there was no job centre, so had to pay train fare to even sign on every time. God it was grim, NEVER again.

I suppose probably no one cares because of all the other shit that appears to have been breaking lose around here, but I was fired at 4.30 on Wednesday afternoon.

I kinda wandered around in shock for the next day. Not unhappy, but vaguely angry. Until I opened the letter they gave me (didn't bother to have a meeting, I already knew what was up) and they said they were giving me a month's pay in lieu of notice, and all my owed holiday time. Which was either A) pretty decent of them or B) pretty stupid of them to have made me sign a contract which specified this in the first place. Apparently.

So basically they've given me a paid holiday for the month of August. Sweet. Or, a bunch of other options:

1) Living on £50 a week, as I AM DOING despite people's disbelief, I could carry on for several months
2) I could start temping the moment we got back from Wiltshire and use the cash to buy a new computer.

I kinda don't know what to do with myself at the moment. It's weird. I feel relieved more than anything else. (Though cross that it took them SO LONG to keep me in a state of mental torture all day.) I suppose I'll figure out what to do in a bit.

But until then, well, my internet access will be limited to none. So I'll say goodbye and farewell for now, and it's been fun, and I'm sure I'll talk to you again soon. Nick Southall, PLEASE let me know where/when yer FAP is. And I'll try to come down for club Freaky Trigger if I remember.

Hope yer groovy,
Kate

Whoah Kate!! I hope all is well. I wondered where you were, but I figured u might've gone on hols early or summit! Pls feel free to email if you want to sound off! try to have a good holiday. hugs.

Glad they gave you the money tho!

Eek. Take care Kate!

Well, thanks for someone noticing that I hadn't been here! I've got 15 minutes left on the web cafe and I can't remember who I haven't emailed to tell them about it. Hope the rest of yer summers are good...

best of luck kate and have a great holiday. likewise, feel free to drop me a note any time you like - it's been fun... only problem, who's gonna give me grief in the mornings now? well, actlly, half my office are queuing up for that job, but you know what i mean ;-)

Ach. I wish I could post to ILX all the doo-dah day now that I've got little better to do. But there's a big difference between being paid to post to ILX and having to pay to post to ILX.

HSA and I are bringing the Reason workstation/keyboard to Wiltshire. We are going to lie around in the country and compose music. This is the best job ever!

13 minutes left...

Shit Kate, that's awful, hope everything works out for you.

kate - i will miss our mutual frappucino love. :-(

keep in touch kate!! sorry abt this all but it seems for the best sorta kinda

PS Kate, they weren't being nice, tis the law they have to give you pay in lieu of notice if you've worked there more than 2 months - regardless of your contract - I know coz I've been to an industrial tribunal over that very issue!

B-b-but this means that you have technicallybeen made redundant as far as I read it so you should have nbo problem at all with Job Seekers Allowance.

Nah, if they sack you they still have to give you notice and yer holiday pay - tis the law, trust me, industrial tribunal blah blah blah etc etc

But they also have to give you a reason why they have sacked you. If they are just letting you go (which is what seems to be the case) then there shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Kate has mentioned the 'reasons' passim, I think.

But are they in the letter? I guess our 15 minutes are up and we will never know.

Bah, I missed this. :-( If you see it, Kate, best of luck and plz enjoy Wiltshire. :-)

Kate! I'm so sorry to hear that they got to fire you before you quit. And of course I noticed you weren't posting. Email me sometime if you get a chance.

Sorry and all Kate, hope it works out for you. I only just foud this thread and do have handy advice to give (I used to work for the ES) if you've been in regularish employment over the last couple of years then you're entitled to JSA regardless, it's all down to how much national insurance you've paid. I forget the precise details though (you should always sign up for JSA as it ensures your stamp will be paid).