Registering with FAS

delly

Folks, i have a non-tech savvy friend who has asked me to ask the good people of boards a few questions regarding FAS. He was recently made redundant and was told by the DSFA to register with FAS before applying for benefit. They also said that he would be called for an interview soon after receiving his benefits.

He has no problem filling the criteria to get jobseekers benefit, but was a little freaked out by how the lady in the DSFA made out that if he doesn't get a job thru' FAS soon enough, they could take away his benefits.

So, in a nutshell he's wondering what does registering entail and secondly when they start calling him for interview, are they going to offer him jobs that he's going to have to consider? The area he works in is quite specialised, so its unlikely he'll get a placement thru' FAS, but obviously he'll jump thru' whatever hoops he has too while waiting to get back into the workforce.

CSC

The interview with FAS will be a chat with one of their staff about what opportunities are available for your friend. Nothing to worry about. They may suggest a course for him, talk him through what vacancies that are advertised on their website etc.
I wouldn't pass any heed of what the person in Social Welfare said about taking away benefits. If your friend is actively seeking work (e.g meeting with FAS, applying for jobs) then he meets the criteria and will continue to get benefits.

Mental Mickey

All he has to do is show PROOF of jobs he has applied for. That doesn't mean that he has to be successful in obtaining a job. As long as you have a letter of registration from FAS and proof that you're looking for work(and there is very little out there at the moment), you should be ok.

doolox

Keep a copy of all letters relating to job applications and ,if possible get the interviewers to send you letters confirming you attended for interviews etc. This may not happen as employers may not be able to reply by post to all applicants for a job. At least have a verbal account ready of all leads tried to get a job. For example they may ask to see a copy of your CV to see if you are looking for a job.

Try to get feedback on all interview failures which can be used by FAS to suggest courses or coaching which might improve your future chances of success.

You may be given a job offer for a menial job but it must be related to what you did before in your work life. As far as I know they can't make you move to a new location and the work must be reasonably accessable by public transport or pay enough for private transport if shifts are involved, one of the main reasons why shift allowance is paid. After a few weeks you can always quit and go back on the dole if the hours, conditions etc do not suit but as far as I know you cannot refuse a reasonable job offer or placement straight off without incurring some loss of benefit.
I am in FAS at the moment and the payment is the same as the dole, as I am on benefit, which normally stops after 12 months my attendance at FAS stops the clock on this limit. At the end of the FAS course I have another 6 months in which to find a job. After that there is Jobseekers assistance which is meanstested so I will have to live off my savings and run them down before I get that.

I can see in the future that the govt will introduce some form of "workfare" where unemployed people will be made perform some sort of work activity for their dole money. Lets hope it is not too onerous or it will be difficult to enforce. Similar schemes in the States involved bussing people for 100 miles to new locations for minimum wage jobs until they got fed up and moved elsewhere from their old locations, breaking up extended family ties and breaking up old communities in the process.

Nolanger

delly wrote: »

was told by the DSFA to register with FAS before applying for benefit

That's another example of Civil Service inefficiency.
No need to register with FAS because that requirement has been done away with.
The dole office cannot refuse your claim on the grounds that you have not registered with FAS.
Reason being that FAS now interview customers signing on for 3 months.

delly

Thanks for all the info folks, i'm gonna print it off so that he can look over it.

doolox

I think there is a 30-day limit from when you first sign that you must register with FAS and get to see a placement officer.
I find FAS very supportive and good with advice and supportive in things like CV and interview skills They also provide courses in various things now required by certain job sectors such as Safepass and HCCP whihc cost a fair bit if sought privately.
Unfortunately they are finding it difficult to keep up with the job losses and any courses they provide may not lead to a job. The universities are finding the same diffculties as is everyone on a global basis.........................