How do?
I have been at work for four weeks now. It is a bummer that the job is with an agency but I am prepared to take that risk.
My supervisor at work has said she has already noticed that I now have a better attitude. I feel better in myself and I seem to have more energy. I don't know whether it is just me but people are different with me now. There are quite a few people who work for the same agency where I work and they now say I am one of the crew now.
The Lady from the agency rings me up every week or sends me a text to say that I am required the next week and then I get a new time-sheet and the last payslip in the post at the weekend. I get paid weekly which is different and I have been able to budget quite well so far. I could not believe it when I had my first payslip in 12 years. I was so happy I took my Wife and the Children out for a slap-up meal.
The Working Tax credits have been worked out and I am definitely better off so far. I don't know what plans the future government has for tax credits but they are crucial to me at this stage. I have also received a letter this weekend saying I qualified for Return to Work Credits of £40 a week as well. I could now be a walking talking advert for the DWP better off in work.
I now enjoy going to work more than I did before. It is going well except I have had a couple of problems which I have had to speak to the supervisor about. The Lady who I had problems with before keeps telling me when I should have my break, and she says she has to know at all times where I am. Its quite suffocating. Why don't I have an electronic tag attached to my ankle?. I did something I had not done before I stuck up for myself and I said I will go for my break when I am ready. I think she cares but she just goes the wrong way about it. I think it is also the transition from how I started on a work placement all being wrapped up in cotton wool to now being a fully fledged working person. I will see how it goes.
In other news Transfattyacid said "I guess now you are employed you will have the luxury of moaning about all those scroungers faking disability to live the life of Riley on the state". If the DWP could get the real career scroungers off benefits who give disabled people a bad name perhaps they might be able to give the time and the energy to help people with genuine disabilities.
I feel like I have been very lucky and I have had a lot of help along the way but not from the jobcentre though but from people where I volunteered. I know where I came from to where I am now and I was labelled a scrounger and it is not a nice experience. It might go ok or it might go wrong but I am just taking one day at a time and see where it takes me.
Have a nice weekend
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3 comments:
I'm pleased it's going well for you.
I can totally echo the experience of your last paragraphs, though. The Jobcentre and Pathways and everyone else and their dog will try and claim that you working is because of their efforts and guidance - there's no room to say "excuse me, actually, I'm the one who worked bloody hard at this, and the support I needed has come from people who have nothing to do with any of your organisations."
Glad things sem to be going well for you.
I have to question one thing, though.
"If the DWP could get the real career scroungers off benefits who give disabled people a bad name perhaps they might be able to give the time and the energy to help people with genuine disabilities".
There are over 2.5 million on JSA, several million more on Incapacity, and yet less than half a million job vacancies.
There is never going to be full employment. Unless we wnat people to starve and rob off the rest of us, we have to give them the minimum it takes to live on.
I think letting those who can be happy and fulfilled on the dole - incapacity or JSA - stay there would be the best bet. That way they could target the help at those who actually want it. This would be cheaper *and* more effective.
Brainblogger - I'm very pleased to see that you have paid work. I hope it goes well for you.
Merrick - I agree that there isn't going to be full employment any time soon, if ever, but it doesn't help that employers often prefer to recruit from abroad than offer jobs to locals. Sometimes there are genuine reasons for their doing so, but I certainly don't think it's true in all or even most cases. Apart from depriving local people of jobs, it reinforces the beliefs of those who think we don't work to work. They blame us without recognizing that at least some of the blame belongs with employers. Yes, there are some who truly don't want to work, but they aren't as numerous as the critics claim.
To all - the upcoming budget is one to watch. I expect it to be the starting point for a prolonged attack on benefit claimants, but I hope I'm wrong.
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