Tus scheme- can you turn down an offer of work

j229

Hi, i got called for an interview few months ago, anyway i got a call today saying they may have found work for me in charity shop, i must call into them to talk about it in a few days.

Anyway my question is can i turn down the offer, will i get in trouble if i do? Has anyone done this before? The reason why i don't want to work there is i don't think its suitable for me to be honest, i would rather give it to someone who really wanted it,

Thanks

danjo-xx

Refusal of work placement

Under the National Employment Action Plan someone getting Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) is required to take up work opportunities such as the offer of a Tús work placement. If they refuse a work opportunity without good reason, they may have their social welfare payment reduced or terminated. If, following a refusal of a placement, someone’s payment is reduced or terminated they may appeal this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.

tus

Dunny

I am currently on a TUS scheme and I love my placement. Basically what my supervisor told me is that give it a go and we would have a talk about it in a few days to see if it was suitable. You have to atleast give it a go.

Drezden

The crazy thing about this scheme is in flagrant breach of International Law. "The requirement to carry out mandatory work is contrary to Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights which prohibits compulsory labour. Job Seekers’ Allowance is a subsistence benefit that people depended on to live, it is not a ‘gift’ but an entitlement. "

Thats a quote from a legal case in the Uk, where people refused to take part in a similar scheme and were takin off JA. They pursued legal proceedings in the high court and the decision was overturned. This acted as a catalyst for many other people to get their social welfare payment restored.