Bonkers Bureaucracy

[nailit]

A while back I posted that the Foodbank, where im a volunteer van driver, were trying to get the funding to employ me on a salary. Its been a while in coming but now they have the funding to pay me. However apparently they have to advertise the job (even though its basically mine already). Im not sure if this is law or Trussell Trust policy but now I have to go through the process of filling in an application form, been interviewed (by people that Ive been working with for the last 8 months), getting references (even tho they already have them) and been taken out on the van to see my driving skills (even tho ive been driving it for the past 8 months)

The volunteer co-ordinator has told me today that its nuts but they have to do it.
Theres going to be people applying for this job who don't have a hope of getting it, thus wasting their time and everyone elses.

WHY?
Has the world gone mad?

[jno]

Horrible thought though it may be, perhaps there’s a better candidate around who shouldn’t be denied the job just because you know all the right people already?

[spathiphyllum]

I think volunteers should get first pick of jobs JNO.

[spathiphyllum]

Nailit when applying for the job.. Make sure to mention "8 months experience, on the actual job advertised".

[Spicerack]

You could be the CEO's nephew for all we know.

[nailit]

JNO How would there be a better candidate than someone whos been there for them 24/7 when needed and has already done the job, unpaid, for 8 months already? They have already told me that the job is mine anyway, just got go through the motions, thus wasting everyone elses time.

[nailit]

//You could be the CEO's nephew for all we know.//
Yeah right!

[hc4361]

This is not down to the law, nailit - it must be their policy.

[maggiebee]

Think this is employment law. When I worked for the local council I once told a friend not to bother applying for a job she fancied because I knew the person who was doing it as a temp would get the job. Not a level playing field by any means.

[hc4361]

Problem with giving a volunteer the job is they then lose a valuable volunteer.

[Sqad]

Seems a straightforward situation and a path well trodden, to eliminate nepotism or similar in the community, something I think brought in by the Unions.

[Mamyalynne]

It's probably written in the Trussell Trust policy as you say.

General mention of it here from Acas.

https://beta.acas.org.uk/hiring-someone/check-if-you-need-to-advertise

[nailit]

//This is not down to the law, nailit - it must be their policy.//
Was working with another volunteer today who told me that his last place of work did the same thing...had a guy lined up for the job but had to go through the motions anyway.

[spathiphyllum]

If they didn't put you through the motions then they become liable as your employer. I assume being a volunteer and an employee are quite different when it comes to paper work or if anything goes wrong.

[nailit]

//Think this is employment law.//
Sorry Maggie, didn't see this when replying to hc.

[nailit]

// I assume being a volunteer and an employee are quite different when it comes to paper work //
Seems to be the case spath...

[spathiphyllum]

So even though you've been driving the van for 8 months.. they need to check again now they're officially employing you because you become their responsibility. I'm not sure about any official legalities but to me, that makes sense.

Your responsibility goes up once you become an employee and so does the employers liability.

If you crashed the truck and they said "did you check he could drive when he was employed" they can't just say.. "well he could drive when he volunteered".

[nailit]

//Problem with giving a volunteer the job is they then lose a valuable volunteer.//
Actually they don't hc.
its in the contract that unpaid 'volunteer' work is expected as and when the occasion calls for it.

[nailit]

//If you crashed the truck and they said "did you check he could drive when he was employed" they can't just say.. "well he could drive when he volunteered"//
No difference spath. They did a check on my licence when I started, took me out on a test run and Ive been driving ever since.

[spathiphyllum]

"hey did a check on my licence when I started"

But as i mentioned the paper work / procedure for a volunteer and an employer must be quite different

To me Nailit, as long as you manage to gt the job, it's good you've gone through the motions. It's much more official, and professional.

[nailit]

It just gets me that other people are going to turn up for the interview without a hells chance of getting the job just because they HAVE to go about a process.