Is Find a Job site still not mandatory?

Is Find a Job site still not mandatory?

A few years ago various FOI request replies said that it was not mandatory to use Find a Job. Is this still the case or has the situation changed?

It wouldn't surprise me if it has been made mandatory. Does anyone have any recent info on this?

I have a few printouts of old FOI replies saying it isn't mandatory, but don't feel confident that they still apply three years on.

I'm on JSA by the way.

https://mrfrankzola.wordpress.com/2018/05/15/dwp-find-a-job-is-mandatory-for-claimants-however-dwp-staff-will-not-have-access-to-view-jobseeker-accounts-cvs-or-activity-application-history/

Jobcentre Work ‘Coaches’, just like with Jobmatch, can mandate a Universal Credit (UC) claimant via their Claimant Commitment to create a FaJ account and upload their CV, or face benefit sanctions. Jobseeker Allowance (JSA) claimants, can also be mandated, through use of a Jobseeker Direction.

Guidance that says Jobcentres can mandate claimants to register with & upload their CV onto ANY jobsite

I've never been asked to provide proof that I have a FaJ account and that I've uploaded a CV (I do and I have).

Thanks.

That link had another link that led to this:

Alok Sharma Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 22 May 2018 said:

"Use of the Find a job website is not compulsory for claimants of Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Universal Credit (UC). JSA and UC claimants are asked to create an account and upload a Curriculum Vitae (CV) on Find a job or another jobsite when they make a new claim. If a claimant creates an account using a jobsite other than Find a job, it must be one that is deemed to be suitable by the Work Coach."

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2018-05-15/144177

So it seems that one can be mandated to open a Find a Job account but not mandated to use it.

I have heard but never had it confirmed that DWP and jobcentre staff have no access to Find a Job accounts, is that true or not? I have a feeling that staff will have such access.

Also is any of the information we are discussing still valid? It is more than three years old.

Rather than snoop via a highly illegal back door connection to your FaJ account don't you think they'd much rather get you off JSA and onto UC so they can control you through the UC "journal"?

That's what worries me.

Archangel wrote:That's what worries me.

I suppose it depends on what roach you get as to what kind of experience you're going to end up having. Do you have a bad roach at the moment? We do and it's awful to be harassed again as if nothing happened between March 2020 and now.

Not bad, but too eager to suggest things I should do to get work. She has booked me for a thing called a Fuller Working Lives session at my JC. It's for people over 50, and sounds like some sort of gateway to get people on to welfare to work schemes. Have you heard of it?

I've read about. Not been referred to it yet. I don't like group sessions so will try to avoid it if I can. (See Caker's reply to your other post.)

Thanks.