job centre opening hours

[gina32]

phoned job centre yesterday at 4.50 only to get a recorded message telling me they were closed now and opening hours were 9-5!!!! typical

[carrot99]

well you need 10 mins to tidy your desk, water the plant, wash your mug, wrap up the biscuits, pop to the ladies.... it all takes time before you can grab your umbrella and dash out you know!

[sara3]

sounds like a telephone blip to me. jobcentre staff are busier than ever in this current climate. they have more new customers than ever expected!

[carrot99]

You're right sara. The office hours are probably 'til five and because they are so busy they probably put the answering machine on.

Especially at the end of the day when it's too late to do much for phone callers.

[factor-fiction]

Frustrating I know. Maybe they had calls in the queue and knew they wouldn't be able to deal with yours. I had the same when i tried to call on a Friday to do a fast track claim for going back on JSA and couldn't get through until Monday, so I lost 2 or 3 days JSA

[China Doll]

I don't answer my phone at that time either. If my docs want me they call me on my mobile. I already stay way past five 3 days a week and I'm not about to get involved in a lengthy conversation when I can use that time more productively to do work I actually need to concentrate on and I've been available on the phone since 9am.

[carrot99]

job centre staff are the same as us - if they are there 9-5 monday to friday, they don't want calls at 4.50pm on any day and Friday's at all if they can help it! They have paperwork to complete too.

Why would you make a call that's important to you at 4.50pm or on a Friday? Use their website for general information and go down to their office if it's important - I'm sure they have duty officers who'll record your visit for date of claim purposes.

[gina32]

i made a call at that time because i had a call made to me a few minutes earlier but i was unable to take the call, besides which they are supposed to be open until 5 so they should be answering til 5. if you went to catch a plane/trian and it said it went at 5 but had actually left 10 minutes previous you wouldnt be happy would you, same principle