The Jobbridge Scandal

Xenji

April O Neill II wrote: »

How do these internships work when comparing them to comparable paid employees in the company? Seems to be able to bypass employment legislation. There's tonnes of case law on employment legislation in this country as it's comparatively strict in this country and employers seem to hate it. So this scheme seems to give them a neat way to fill what should be paying work so that they save money and can give less legal rights to the intern.

It seems that if you do this scheme you are technically not a paid employee or even deemed a member of the workforce and do not have any rights, that is of course until the government brings out new unemployment figures or Joan comes out with some new bull**** statistic and then you are a member of the workforce and are fully employed.

Smidge

I have asked this before here but didn't get an answer.
Do you HAVE to take a Jobsbridge if offered?
And If you do take one(like lots of previous posts have said)and it is not as described are you able to leave and will you be docked money?

Xenji

Smidge wrote: »

I have asked this before here but didn't get an answer.
Do you HAVE to take a Jobsbridge if offered?
And If you do take one(like lots of previous posts have said)and it is not as described are you able to leave and will you be docked money?

I have heard of people being told they had to take one if it fits their qualifications, but I do not think they will just make you take a random one, you can leave any jobbridge at anytime and the only thing you will be docked is the extra €50 you were getting.

Smidge

Xenji wrote: »

I have heard of people being told they had to take one if it fits their qualifications, but I do not think they will just make you take a random one, you can leave any jobbridge at anytime and the only thing you will be docked is the extra €50 you were getting.

Thanks for clearing that up

I'd like to make an analogy:D

Take "I'm a celebrity, get me out here" for instance.
The first series or two, the people going on it didn't really know what they were getting themselves in for. How many ever series it is later and these "celebrities" still seem shocked when they go in(please don't judge me for watching ).

Same with Jobsbridge.
I TOTALLY understand that so many folks are desperate to work but time and again this scheme has proven to be exploitive and in the vast majority of cases an absolute dead end after months of working for in essence, free.
Then to be turfed back out onto the dole and have your self esteem stamped all over again. And then in comes the next "intern" for more slave labour.

If people just didn't take up these jobsbridge(unless utterly forced to)these heartless and unethical employers would have to go back to the workforce pool and actually PAY someone a wage for the work they do.
This scheme boils my blood and people should boycott it by not partaking.
I mean we all pretty much know by now its a total scam.

Smidge

Smidge wrote: »

I have asked this before here but didn't get an answer.
Do you HAVE to take a Jobsbridge if offered?
And If you do take one(like lots of previous posts have said)and it is not as described are you able to leave and will you be docked money?

I know of a few people who've been told to take a jobsbridge or watch as their weekly payment is docked. Sane way that the DSP are forcing people onto courses. I'm doing a FAS course atm and there's a number of women in their early 60s doing it who were told by the DSP that if they didn't find a jobsbridge or take the course they would lose money.

You're allowed to leave a jobsbridge but you need to have valid reasons and I've heard that if you do leave one you're pretty much painting a target on your back and will have letters and phone calls on a weekly basis telling you that you need to find a course or a jobsbridge as otherwise you're losing money.

Smidge

Deleted User wrote: »

I know of a few people who've been told to take a jobsbridge or watch as their weekly payment is docked. Sane way that the DSP are forcing people onto courses. I'm doing a FAS course atm and there's a number of women in their early 60s doing it who were told by the DSP that if they didn't find a jobsbridge or take the course they would lose money.

You're allowed to leave a jobsbridge but you need to have valid reasons and I've heard that if you do leave one you're pretty much painting a target on your back and will have letters and phone calls on a weekly basis telling you that you need to find a course or a jobsbridge as otherwise you're losing money.

Its mindboggling

zenno

Xenji wrote: »

I have heard of people being told they had to take one if it fits their qualifications, but I do not think they will just make you take a random one, you can leave any jobbridge at anytime and the only thing you will be docked is the extra €50 you were getting.

I didn't realise this was the case. I thought that you would lose your JSA if you packed the jobsbridge in ?. I do know that when you are called to FAS, you can choose what you want to do, whether it be an online course in microsoft word, excel, power-point etc... but they cannot force you to take a jobsbridge job if you think it would be unsuitable for you.

In saying this, when I was called into fas a few weeks ago, the lady asked me what I would like to do, so I told her, and she proceeded to show me courses that were suitable to me. She was trying to push a jobsbridge job at me regarding laptop repair but it was already taken up, but I know what would happen if I took that one.
I would more than likely be making tea and mopping the floor and cleaning up computer parts of which would not be the job description offered. This has happened to many folk regarding such a course. But I was tempted when she first mentioned it, I was weary of it incase They just used me as a slave cleaner

Xenji

zenno wrote: »

I didn't realise this was the case. I thought that you would lose your JSA if you packed the jobsbridge in ?. I do know that when you are called to FAS, you can choose what you want to do, whether it be an online course in microsoft word, excel, power-point etc... but they cannot force you to take a jobsbridge job if you think it would be unsuitable for you.

In saying this, when I was called into fas a few weeks ago, the lady asked me what I would like to do, so I told her, and she proceeded to show me courses that were suitable to me. She was trying to push a jobsbridge job at me regarding laptop repair but it was already taken up, but I know what would happen if I took that one.
I would more than likely be making tea and mopping the floor and cleaning up computer parts of which would not be the job description offered. This has happened to many folk regarding such a course. But I was tempted when she first mentioned it, I was weary of it incase They just used me as a slave cleaner

FAS cannot really force you to take anything, as it stands now you can do up to 3 Jobbridges, but they have to be done with separate companies, you can do two 9 month ones or three 6 month ones, so if you leave the internship you still have the opportunity to do another one.

What I am curious about is that what if you do the 18 months of Jobbridge and never get taken on in a Job, are you basically immune from the social welfare breathing down your neck, as basically you would not be able to get another job with everything being Jobbridge these days and they do not have any other schemes they can offer you.

If for some reason you had done a 9 month internship and then decided to do another one and got sick or for whatever reason was not able to finish it after 3 months, you would not be able to do another Jobbridge, so you would basically be in limbo.

zenno

zenno wrote: »

I didn't realise this was the case. I thought that you would lose your JSA if you packed the jobsbridge in ?. I do know that when you are called to FAS, you can choose what you want to do, whether it be an online course in microsoft word, excel, power-point etc... but they cannot force you to take a jobsbridge job if you think it would be unsuitable for you.

An online course or part time course is not acceptable if they want you off the live register. I'm on a course atm and of the 40 or so other people only 6 or do chose the course. The rest of us were told to do the course or lose money. I went to them with a number of course relating to areas in my field and they told me that either I took the course or found a job by the following Monday as if I didn't I'd be losing part of my payment. The course I'm on is a waste of time and seems geared toward those who have never worked or done a 3rd level course. FAS are little more than a joke, during my meeting with them I was insulted, called a waster and advices to move home to my parents do that I would not be a burden on the state. I made a complaint about my treatment but all three of the people who were in the room during this meeting said that I was making it up. The sooner FAS is shut down and an end is put to the whole forcing people onto schemes and courses so as to massage the unemployed figures, the sooner the country can try and get back on its feet

Xenji

Xenji wrote: »

FAS cannot really force you to take anything, as it stands now you can do up to 3 Jobbridges, but they have to be done with separate companies, you can do two 9 month ones or three 6 month ones, so if you leave the internship you still have the opportunity to do another one.

What I am curious about is that what if you do the 18 months of Jobbridge and never get taken on in a Job, are you basically immune from the social welfare breathing down your neck, as basically you would not be able to get another job with everything being Jobbridge these days and they do not have any other schemes they can offer you.

If for some reason you had done a 9 month internship and then decided to do another one and got sick or for whatever reason was not able to finish it after 3 months, you would not be able to do another Jobbridge, so you would basically be in limbo.

I can see the 18 months being extended to 36 and then being made done away with completely. Don't be surprised if in 5 years time working for €188 + €50 is the norm.

Smidge

Deleted User wrote: »

I can see the 18 months being extended to 36 and then being made done away with completely. Don't be surprised if in 5 years time working for €188 + €50 is the norm.

I completely agree.
I reckon the whole scheme is a way of reducing the wage in this country and a power play by Ibec and the SME and has wholly been endorsed by our tragedy of a government.

Xenji

I had a intern who worked in my department basically ridiculed and called a idiot by a female member of the FAS staff, she asked here if she had any complaints about the internship and she responded by saying she was unaware that there was no chance that she would be kept on after the 9 months when she took the internship due to the moratorium on hiring in the councils, something I had to explain to her, the woman from FAS turned around and told her " sure any monkey with a brain knew that, it has been going on for years, do you ever pick up a paper or pay attention to the news " utter bitch.

zenno

Xenji wrote: »

FAS cannot really force you to take anything, as it stands now you can do up to 3 Jobbridges, but they have to be done with separate companies, you can do two 9 month ones or three 6 month ones, so if you leave the internship you still have the opportunity to do another one.

What I am curious about is that what if you do the 18 months of Jobbridge and never get taken on in a Job, are you basically immune from the social welfare breathing down your neck, as basically you would not be able to get another job with everything being Jobbridge these days and they do not have any other schemes they can offer you.

If for some reason you had done a 9 month internship and then decided to do another one and got sick or for whatever reason was not able to finish it after 3 months, you would not be able to do another Jobbridge, so you would basically be in limbo.

Yes, an interesting scenario for sure. I'm not sure what would happen in that case though. I'm sure the DSP will come up with something to force a person into, as they will not allow you to sit idle after doing the work for so long, they don't want people falling back into the normal JSA scenario.

The thought of doing a jobsbridge and then after 6/9 months working hard and then being told thanks but we are not taking you on as a paid worker is a big worry, because all of that hard work over 6/9 months would be soul destroying to be told your back to square one, next Intern/slave please.

Xenji

Deleted User wrote: »

I can see the 18 months being extended to 36 and then being made done away with completely. Don't be surprised if in 5 years time working for €188 + €50 is the norm.

Would not surprise me either, but what I do not understand is that the government is just bleeding money through this scheme and is getting nothing in return, the interns are not taxed so the government is getting less money, they are being paid a pittance for over 40 hours work in some case, so the interns are not going out buying expensive items, so the government is also losing out on VAT.

Then you have retailers saying that sales are at a all time low and nobody is spending, the same retailers that are taking on interns, of course nobody is gonna spend money if they are not making enough to spend in the first place, it is beyond ridiculous, I have friends abroad who have mentioned this scheme to co-workers and they really think we have become a laughing stock, sorry even more of a laughing stock.

BuilderPlumber

The sooner the current regime is gone the better. What did the Irish people vote for?

-An end to corruption, overpaid amateur golfers, spineless politicians, austerity and incompetence.

What did the regime elected on a mandate to end the above do? Make the Fianna Fail regime look like saints by comparison and defended all the above in a way even Fianna Fail didn't. JobBridge along with the disgraceful treatment of the VECs are two of the wreckless policies Enda Kenny (the weakest most capitulating leader since Iran's 1979-89 King/Shah Ayatollah Khomeini: at least, Khomeini had the excuse his very life and family were in danger from dangerous gunmen and had no real choice but to sell out his country to the Taliban and be their figurehead priest) and his subservient team have done.

It is time for change. The JobBridge is exactly what cruelhearted employers wanted. Treat workers like dirt and get the state to pay them peanuts. Thank you, Enda Kenny. Without Khomeini's excuse of being held at gunpoint by an 'Islamic' Khmer Rouge imitator army of peasants, Kenny seemed willing all by himself to sell his country off to the devil.

Tiocfaidh ar la

zenno

@ Darko

Jezz, I didn't know that kind of verbal abuse was going on within FAS.

They didn't hassle me in any way shape or form as I took over the interview and demanded my right to choose is respected, without being forced to do something I wish not to. Yes I agree with you in regards to the massaging of unemployment figures, It's getting really tough now from both FAS and the DSP, even though the DSP said that FAS is also the DSP, crazy.

Xenji

zenno wrote: »

Yes, an interesting scenario for sure. I'm not sure what would happen in that case though. I'm sure the DSP will come up with something to force a person into, as they will not allow you to sit idle after doing the work for so long, they don't want people falling back into the normal JSA scenario.

The thought of doing a jobsbridge and then after 6/9 months working hard and then being told thanks but we are not taking you on as a paid worker is a big worry, because all of that hard work over 6/9 months would be soul destroying to be told your back to square one, next Intern/slave please.

My sister did a Jobbridge and was very qualified for the job, they did not take her on in the end, but she had to make tea and coffee for the interviews to select the intern to replace her, she was so distraught by the end it would of been better if she never did it in the first place, she will not do another 9 months, even if they force her, she ended up on medication and having to visit a psychiatrist after her experience.

B.A._Baracus

I think this scheme is just one big BS smoke-screen.

- Government gets to manipulate live-register figures (which I find mental :pac: If a person is collecting €188 pw on the social but gets transferred to FAS and gets €188 for doing a course ... whats the difference :pac: But officially the live-register figures go down )
- Companies abuse this scheme and can thrive better or stay afloat with free-labor.
- Normal joe-blows such as ourselves get "experience" with Government hopes we will piss off out of the country and get a job there.

zenno

zenno wrote: »

Deleted User

Jezz, I didn't know that kind of verbal abuse was going on within FAS.

They didn't hassle me in any way shape or form as I took over the interview and demanded my right to choose is respected, without being forced to do something I wish not to. Yes I agree with you in regards to the massaging of unemployment figures, It's getting really tough now from both FAS and the DSP, even though the DSP said that FAS is also the DSP, crazy.

I stood up for myself and refused to take their crap. I'm on a course now simply because I'm not risking losing my JSA. I'm hoping to have work in the new year and if not I'll be emigrating within the next year.

ArnieSilvia

When I was looking into getting a job in Investment Funds 2 years back I was shocked that someone could call "internship" and "entry level position" where 5 years of supervisor experience in Investment Funds was required. I only had a Certificate in Investment Funds. Not a hope to get internship with this sort of competition WTF

Apparently these schemes were being talked a lot by top management in Investment Funds abroad. And exploited to the max here.

CE, jobbridge, internship = different names for same govt. scam

zenno

Well that's what they want you to do (emigrate) or just die, at least then they can continue to make themselves look good for the next election, making it look like they have been doing a great job in getting folk back to work, but in reality they are paying a lot more cash for interns and others on TUS/CE schemes of which is costing the taxpaying citizens more.

But the taxpaying citizens will lap it up thinking that the government is doing a great job getting folk back to work, but realistically, what the taxpaying citizens don't realise is that it is all a wind-up, and it's hitting the taxpayers more in the pocket, but the false government cloth over the eye's will fool most folk again, as per usual.

Well Deleted User I hope you find yourself a good paying job soon, best of luck on your endeavour.
This constant abuse, verbal or otherwise against the unfortunate unemployed folk has to stop. It's a nasty way to treat people, especially in relation to the Department of social protection or more appropriately, (The Department Of Social Rejection)

Jagdtiger

Need I say more...

denlaw

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Friend of mine is on an internship. When he started he was told he'd be doing lots of interesting work in a field he's interested in and that they wanted to keep him on and were only using jobsbridge to ease the burden in training in new staff.

Since he began he has done nothing remotely related to his field and instead is the office slave. His daily tasks include starting 15 minutes before everyone else so that a pot of coffee will be there when the others start. He is sent to the shop multiple times a day and was recently told that he must walk to a different shop as the sandwiches are 40-50 cent cheaper there than in the shop closest to the business. It's a 40 minute round trip and one more than one ocassion he's done the trip three times in the day. He has also been told to wash the bosses car, the bosses wife's car and other employee cars. He's been sent in to tesco to pick up groceries for the wife and has had their kids left with him in the office. A few days ago he was told that he is required to work Christmas Day as the boss wants to get a head start on the new year. He's spoke to the DSP and fas about it and neither has been all that helpful and I imagine that be will be quitting this week. The sad thing is that there are thousands of similar stories from people in the scheme.

It really is a sham of a scheme which seems to have been set up simply to abuse those looking for work.

Just to add, the guaranteed position is no longer there as the boss can't afford to pay him and as such a new I term is being hired once my friends 9 months is up

Christ almighty !!

qo2cj1dsne8y4k

Was looking at jobs online during the week and there's a jobs bridge for a farm hand, where you learn to herd cows and use a milking machine. Jesus Christ. Even back in the 40s farm hands were paid

jjbrien

jjbrien wrote: »

If they aint going to take her on after she should quit before xmas eve makes no diffrence either way but would serve the employer right..... Some of the clinets who like her might ask her to do their hair elsewhere and pay her for it so she might be better off.

I agree. She doesn't have to stay the 9 months. She could try and get the rest of the 9 months elsewhere, if for no other reason than to pi** her current "mentor" off!

denlaw

[Deleted User] wrote: »

An online course or part time course is not acceptable if they want you off the live register. I'm on a course atm and of the 40 or so other people only 6 or do chose the course. The rest of us were told to do the course or lose money. I went to them with a number of course relating to areas in my field and they told me that either I took the course or found a job by the following Monday as if I didn't I'd be losing part of my payment. The course I'm on is a waste of time and seems geared toward those who have never worked or done a 3rd level course. FAS are little more than a joke, during my meeting with them I was insulted, called a waster and advices to move home to my parents do that I would not be a burden on the state. I made a complaint about my treatment but all three of the people who were in the room during this meeting said that I was making it up. The sooner FAS is shut down and an end is put to the whole forcing people onto schemes and courses so as to massage the unemployed figures, the sooner the country can try and get back on its feet

Sorry....the people in FAS insulted you like that!! File a compliant right away, you have a local TD, go and see him/her ... it's not the 1930's, they can't talk to you like that ...

zenno

zenno wrote: »

That person needs to book an appointment to see his local TD about this abuse, that's a disgrace.

An internship is like a job. If it isn't working out for you, you can leave. You can do 9 months JobBridge, but it doesn't have to be in the one placement. Has this person checked their entitlement if they did leave? Heresay isn't good enough. They need to speak to their local Welfare office and get the facts. NO ONE has to put up with this sort of behaviour. Speak up and if necessary, create a stink. Now don't come on here saying they'll lose x, y or z - unless you have the full facts that you can post here.

Turtyturd

denlaw wrote: »

Christ almighty !!

I would take a lot of those kind of stories with a pinch of salt. Starts off with someone being asked to go to the shop 10 minutes away and by the time it has been retold a few times the shop is 2hours away, uphill both ways and they have to pay for the sandwiches themselves. That's not to say there are not instances of them being true but most of these internships taking the piss are identifiable before you even apply.

denlaw

LexieOnRale wrote: »

Was looking at jobs online during the week and there's a jobs bridge for a farm hand, where you learn to herd cows and use a milking machine. Jesus Christ. Even back in the 40s farm hands were paid

How else do you expect for that framer to pay for his kids private education ..

denlaw

Most internships posted these days were always paid "learn on the job" jobs, just how long does it take to make coffee, wash a pot, make a sambo, clean an office, this bull**** put out by the small/medium firms shysters and IBEC about them being on their knees is pure bull****, this recession was manna from heaven for them ... Jobsbridge was a lotto win for them..