Post by bear on Jul 17, 2020 9:03:00 GMT 7
Minister's office agrees to address job agency lies
Employment minister to take action following AUWU reports of taxpayer-funded harassment of vulnerable people.
The employment minister’s office will follow up the Department of Education, Skills and Employment regarding persistent reports of job agencies lying to and threatening people on social security payments regarding ‘mutual’ obligations penalties.
The Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union reported job agencies’ appalling behaviour towards Job Seekers after being inundated with requests for support in dealing with aggressive and false communications.
The AUWU calls on the department to issue strong reprimands to guilty providers, and will share information about the extraordinary number of reports we have received to facilitate this. The AUWU has already contacted the department to request action and will continue to do so.
Since Senator Cash’s office and Services Australia published confusing information about changes to ‘mutual’ obligations in early June the AUWU has received constant feedback that employment services providers have intimidated people, threatening payment suspensions and penalties.
Under the current arrangement job agencies cannot enforce participation in activities – their behaviour is nothing more than taxpayer-funded harassment, with providers preying on people whose lives are in turmoil as a result of COVID19.
The AUWU confirmed with Cash’s office that there are still no penalties in place, meaning participation in ‘mutual’ obligations activities, including job plans, appointments and job search, are effectively voluntary. Penalties and suspensions cannot be applied retroactively.
Cash’s office said that these arrangements are expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
AUWU members are encouraged to confirm whether there has been any change to penalties before agreeing to participate in activities they do not want to do.
If you choose to participate, the minister’s office said appointments “can be done online or over the phone”, and that you are not required to attend face-to-face appointments unless you request one.
Even though income support recipients are not obliged to contact a job service provider, providers have and will continue to attempt to contact JobSeekers. There is no need to respond. JobSeekers should contact the AUWU immediately if feeling harassed or upset by employment providers’ practices.
Future obligations still uncertain
The previous advice on changes to ‘mutual’ obligations remain the same, changes will only be made depending on variables such as the labour market and national cabinet deliberations. Due to the rapidly changing situation of the global pandemic, changes to ‘mutual’ obligations are hard to predict.
We will continue to work with Senator Cash’s office and the department of employment to lobby against the reintroduction of obligations and to ensure that clear information about changes is communicated in a timely fashion.
Media contact: 0403 429 414 / jay@auwu.org.au
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2734493833487300&id=1415019052101458
Employment minister to take action following AUWU reports of taxpayer-funded harassment of vulnerable people.
The employment minister’s office will follow up the Department of Education, Skills and Employment regarding persistent reports of job agencies lying to and threatening people on social security payments regarding ‘mutual’ obligations penalties.
The Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union reported job agencies’ appalling behaviour towards Job Seekers after being inundated with requests for support in dealing with aggressive and false communications.
The AUWU calls on the department to issue strong reprimands to guilty providers, and will share information about the extraordinary number of reports we have received to facilitate this. The AUWU has already contacted the department to request action and will continue to do so.
Since Senator Cash’s office and Services Australia published confusing information about changes to ‘mutual’ obligations in early June the AUWU has received constant feedback that employment services providers have intimidated people, threatening payment suspensions and penalties.
Under the current arrangement job agencies cannot enforce participation in activities – their behaviour is nothing more than taxpayer-funded harassment, with providers preying on people whose lives are in turmoil as a result of COVID19.
The AUWU confirmed with Cash’s office that there are still no penalties in place, meaning participation in ‘mutual’ obligations activities, including job plans, appointments and job search, are effectively voluntary. Penalties and suspensions cannot be applied retroactively.
Cash’s office said that these arrangements are expected to remain in place for the foreseeable future.
AUWU members are encouraged to confirm whether there has been any change to penalties before agreeing to participate in activities they do not want to do.
If you choose to participate, the minister’s office said appointments “can be done online or over the phone”, and that you are not required to attend face-to-face appointments unless you request one.
Even though income support recipients are not obliged to contact a job service provider, providers have and will continue to attempt to contact JobSeekers. There is no need to respond. JobSeekers should contact the AUWU immediately if feeling harassed or upset by employment providers’ practices.
Future obligations still uncertain
The previous advice on changes to ‘mutual’ obligations remain the same, changes will only be made depending on variables such as the labour market and national cabinet deliberations. Due to the rapidly changing situation of the global pandemic, changes to ‘mutual’ obligations are hard to predict.
We will continue to work with Senator Cash’s office and the department of employment to lobby against the reintroduction of obligations and to ensure that clear information about changes is communicated in a timely fashion.
Media contact: 0403 429 414 / jay@auwu.org.au
m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2734493833487300&id=1415019052101458