Modern-Day Tattoo

11:33AM GMT 20 Dec 2012

Jobless to be remotely monitored by Government

"Benefit claimants will have their online job applications remotely monitored by the Government to see whether they are making serious attempts to find work.

Mr Duncan Smith said the website will mean Job Centre advisers are able to target their help at jobseekers with problems

From the beginning of next year, the unemployed will have to look for work through the Coalition's new Universal Jobmatch website or potentially risk losing their benefits.
The website will scan the CVs of benefit claimants and automatically match them up with job openings that suit their skills.

It will also allow employers to search for new workers among the unemployed and send messages inviting them to interviews.

However, the activities of benefit claimants can also be tracked using devices known as "cookies", so their Job Centre advisers can know how many searches they have been doing, suggest potential jobs and see whether they are turning down viable opportunities.

Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, said the scheme would "revolutionise" the process of looking for work."

Monday 10 December 2012 UK

Universal Jobmatch: the key questions

"The new Universal Jobmatch website has left many jobseekers worried about the safety of their personal information - and claimants uncertain about whether they are obliged to register."

In 2013 Universal Jobmatch to be mandatory?

20 December 2012 Last updated at 15:13

Iain Duncan Smith's 'tough' site for jobseekers

"Jobseekers in England, Scotland and Wales will have to use a new government website that can automatically tell jobcentres about their applications - or risk losing their benefit payments."

Friday 21 December 2012 

Unemployed to be forced to sign up to Universal Jobmatch website at the centre of security concerns 

"Jobseekers complain that they don’t want to upload sensitive information, such as a CV"

December 20, 2012

Universal Job Search IS to be Made Compulsory

"Jobseekers in England, Scotland and Wales will have to use a new government website that can automatically tell jobcentres about their applications – or risk losing their benefit payments."

Last updated: December 20th, 2012

Internet snooping on job seekers: not just creepy but a shocking waste of money

"The system simply won't work. The tech-savvy will simply switch off the cookies and carry on supplying paper evidence; professionals will struggle to find realistic jobs on the government mandated site; the non-tech-savvy but corrupt will apply for the minimum quota of jobs per week and stay on their sofas (just as they do now); the only people who will suffer will be those genuinely in need of work who are forced to choose between being "internet babes" or being forced to stack shelves or lose benefits, or those completely lacking IT skills, who will not apply for things online, and suffer the consequence of losing benefits or being sent into the work programme."

"The Government shouldn't be making a system designed to distrust citizens and make those who don't check the boxes suffer. If ministers want to check people are applying for jobs, they might consider sorting out the massive flaws in the Job Centre online site first; and then do it by simpler methods – for example, BCCs of emails sent to specific mailboxes would serve the same purpose, but without the creepy 1984 aspect, or insisting that jobs must go through the Government's web portal. Iain Duncan Smith would do well to remember that the state is supposed to be the servant of the people, not the master."

Saturday 22 December 2012 20.45 GMT

Iain Duncan Smith's advisers warn of consequence of benefits crackdown 

"Committee says withdrawing benefits for those judged unwilling to seek work risks driving claimants into 'crime or prostitution'

Iain Duncan Smith's own advisers have urged a softening of his benefits crackdown after hearing evidence that it risked pushing the poorest in society into "crime or prostitution".

Thursday 20 December 2012 16.20 GMT

Unemployed to be forced to use government job website

"Duncan Smith said it would be mandatory for jobseeker's allowance (JSA) claimants to use the site from early in the new year, but no JSA claimant would be required to allow their jobcentre adviser to see any of their activity on the site."

Thursday 20 Dec 2012 10:33 pm

Log on or stop signing on, Iain Duncan Smith says in warning to job seekers

"Benefit claimants will be hauled before job advisers every day if their online activity shows they are not looking for work, Iain Duncan Smith has warned.

Launching the government’s new Jobmatch website, the work and pensions secretary said people would be expected to apply for at least three jobs a week.

He said that signing up to the website, which matches job seekers with employers, would become mandatory for claimants from next year.

Under European law, people have to give permission to allow job centre staff to remotely look at what vacancies they have applied for. But Mr Duncan Smith told Metro doing so would be a ‘trip wire’ which would flag up to a job centre that they may not be looking hard enough for work."

Unemployed to be forced to use Universal Jobmatch

Web-only universal credit 'will leave thousands in crisis'

Empty Threats and Tantrums Are All Iain Duncan Smith Has Left In Universal Jobmatch Fiasco

So many coalition successes so far, but few match the brilliance of the Universal Jobmatch website

*****

Universal Jobmatch: Seeker home page and actions for advisers (DWP) 

*****

2 December 2012

Universal Jobmatch (FOIR)

***** 

20 December 2012

Universal Jobmatch re-clarification is required after the statement made by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (FOIR)

*****

24 December 2012

Information returned from cookies on universal jobmatch (FOIR)

*****

Cookies - New EU cookie law (e-Privacy Directive) (ICO)

***** 

Nigel