job seekers and part time work

[fifi1962fifi]

Hi my son was recently made redundant from his job as an apprentice electrician (he had been at college for three years studying)

Anyway he has signed on for some six months. I need somebody with me to help at wrok and i've taken him on for 2 days (15 hrs) and will pay him �4.25 per hr (he's 19 years old)

We rang the job centre today to inform them that he will be starting tomorrow, and they have said he can still sign on if his hours are below 16 per week - does anyone know why? I've taken him on with me so he does not have to keep signing on...as he's getting really depressed and fed up not finding work as an electrican's mate..and thought that i could keep him upwardly motivated doing some work with me (and keep my eye on him) and yet it seems he will still have to go and sign on

Please help never claimed anything in my life and not sure why this is

[hereicome]

He doesn't have to keep signing on. If you work 16 hours or less per week you can sign on and still get your job seekers allowance. If your son doesn't want to keep signing on for whatever reason he doesn't have to, but if he's working less than 16 hours a week there is no har in it because he will be getting the money he is entitled to still.

[mosesg]

I have been in the same posistion in the past. I continued to sign on and get the DHSS informed of any changes. They respect that you are keen to work. Your son is entitled to the money and should continue to claim, after all that is what you have paid your taxes for all these years

Good luck to him and hope he find something more permanant in the future. Hope he gets to continue in his chossen field. Would he consider going offshore, as there is a shortage of skilled labour offshore.

[fifi1962fifi]

Oh right thanks.... I've had trouble convincing him its worth taking a job with me because the pay is not much more than his job seekers, and had threatened to chuck him out if he doesn't take it!! In fact I offered to match the pay just to get him off the dole (would have mean't me taking another weekend job) will do anything to get him out of this depression but there are no apprenticeships about for kids at 19 years old as the government won't fund them (they don't tell them that though when they convince them to go to college) Tomorrow should be fun pinning him down and squeezing him into a shirt and tie! But att least i won't walk in the house praying he's not swinging from the rafters.

[WendyS]

You son is lucky to have a parent who is so keen to look out for his interests. Have you tried phoning around all the electricians listed in your local Yellow Pages. It might be possible that one of them would be prepared to take him on as an assistant. Also advertising in the Jobs Wanted in your local paper might possibly produce a result. Good luck. Hope he finds something soon.
I assume you've tried contacting all the well known local factories in your area just in case they might have a vacancy which might suit him?

[joko]

he may as well sign off, as you are only allowed to earn �5 before they take the rest off you, so its not worth it unless he gets housing too.

for instance if the dole give him �50, and you pay him �75 the dole will only give him �5.

[fifi1962fifi]

god Wendy i've tried everything. His father is an Associate with a Consultancy in Manchester, and majors in Electrical Design..and we still can't get him on any where...My next move is to write to all the electricians/electrical contractors and ask them if they'll take on free labour and i'll pay his damn wages out of mine! He is qualified but they have to do about 18 months with a qualifed electrican before they can go on their own its heart breaking really. I spoke to' skills solutions' about an apprenticeship and they told me if he had gone to them just after leaving school he would have stood a better chance as the government will only fund kids up to the age of 19 after that they're too expensive....it makes you want to scream...all his mates at college are qualified but none of them can get on any where...thanks for your advice though - i won't give up if it kills me i'll get him qualifed

[fifi1962fifi]

Hi joko - not really sure what you mean? could yo explain again....to you mean �5 per hour? thxs x

[THECORBYLOON]

We meet again fifi and again I have to correct the answers given previously.

Firstly a person can't work 16 hours and receive JSA. They must work on average LESS than 16 hours a week (I'll not go into the details of how the average is calculated.)

Secondly the earnings rule. In yir son's case, anything above �5 a week will be taken off his benefit, penny for penny. As he should be getting �45.50 a week (if he's single) that means anything above �50.50 a week will wipe out his benefit completely. Joko thought the �5 would be paid on top of the JSA if you were paying �70 a week but that is not the case.

Hope it goes well anyway.

[fifi1962fifi]

Hiya - Corbyloon!!! - my dear friend

thanks for explaining - think i've grasped it now

didn't pick up until this morning - have a great day xxx

[mosesg]

If he is interested in offshore most companies now will pay for their apprenticeships and also pay for their offshore survival as there is such a skills shortage. would maybe be worthwhile contacting the likes of Shell, BP, Talisman etc

[fifi1962fifi]

Thanks moses...I'll try that....anything is worth a try if it means getting him in somewhere...feel like we gave him the wrong advice when he left school as we insisted he went to college...rather than get a job. xxxxxx

[mosesg]

Spoke to my HR Dept and they recommended you get in touch with Cogent or ECITB if he is looking for an apprenticeship. Hope this helps. Wasn't too sure if he had finished his apprenticeship. If he has it may be worth while contacking Wood Group, Amec, PSN as these companies are Oil Service companies and do the work offshore for the Operators

www.cogent-ssc.com

www.ecitb.org.uk

[fifi1962fifi]

Moses - how kind are you...thank you so much...xx

Yesterday went ok, but it was quite stresfull for me as I'm the boss of a large solicitors...I had to be strict with my son and not show him any favours...though normally I quite easy going with the staff. I didn't want them to feel he was having it easy..worked him like a dog, poor boy!

And guess what.......This morning already(i work from home two days a week) he has received a phone call, he has an interview tomorrow with an electrical contractors for an apprentice postition

MAZAL TOV!! - I've just stop screaming like a banshe......

love to you, and yours Lorraine x